Just To See You Smile
by shiny toy guns
Summary: Namine has never really fitted in, and moving to a new school, she's just trying to have fun. but what happens when she meets Roxas? a.k.a the boy who wrote her the love note in fourth grade? i suck at summaries! read please roxasXnamine and others
1. First Day High

**disclaimer: **i do NOT own kingdom hearts or it's characters! the pairings in this story are crackships. some of them are anyway. like demxrikku and

yuffiexaxel. please no bashing, and REVIEW. or not =p

**Chapter One**

Namine waited impatiently for her parents to finish talking with the dean. She had just recently transfered out of Destiny high and was moving into a boarding school called, Twilight Academy. Her parents were both very busy, and figured that it would be easier if Namine went to a boarding school that way she would be taken care of. In away, they wanted her out of their hands. It had always been like this, her parents didn't pay attention to her much but Namine pretended not to care. She said that she was used to them being gone for a period of days, but that was just a big lie she kept telling everyone who asked. She could hear the dean laughing merrily with her parents, and it made her furious. Why couldn't they laugh like that around each other? and besides, they're supposed to be talking about school. Namine sighed when she looked at the clock. She had been in the office for thirty minutes now and the dean hadn't even talked to her yet. Namine got up and walked to the secretary's desk. The computer was on, and a list of students and their files appeared. Namine smiled to herself. She realized that she could change her grades with this baby. Not that she really needed to, but her caluculus grade was killing her. She quickly typed in her name in to the search bar. Her grades were not too bad, she had a B in English, an A in History, a B in Chemistry, and of course her worst grade: D in caluculus. Namine was a good girl and normally didn't do this type of stuff, but this was a once in a lifetime chance! besides, if she didn't change it, she would never be able to pick up her grade. She erased the D mark, and Changed it to a C.

She heard the door knob begin to jingle. _Oh shit!_ she quickly exited out of the program and scrambled to her seat. "Well, Namine will certainly fit in at Twilight Academy! We have a lot to offer her and don't worry, she will be taken great care of," The dean smiled. He looked over at Namine and beckoned her to follow him. "Now it's time for us to talk," Namine trailed after him reluctantly. She had been waiting for nearly an hour to talk to him, but now the thought of being the new kid here just kicked in. She knew what it was like to be new, and she hated it. What if people didn't like her? What if they thought that she was weird or something?

"So..." The dean said, whirling around his chair nervously. "I hear that you're really good at art. Is that true?"

Namine shrugged, "I like art and I guess I'm pretty good at it."

"Then you'll love our art program!" He smiled. "Oh, by the way, you can just call me Ansem,"

Namine nodded. "Um.. can i find out what room i'm in?" She asked.

Ansem blinked. "Oh right. I forget that people don't really like talking to me." He mumbled as he opened a bunch of drawers. "Here it is," He pulled out a file. "You're in room 210 with Olette and Fuu. Very nice girls, you'll like them. Trust me," Ansem smiled, giving her the keys. "Oh, and here's your schedule. I'll manage for someone to show you around, you just get settled into your dorm and unpack your stuff. when you're done you'll meet her down the stairs,"

Namine nodded and rushed out of the office. The halls were empty and quiet. _Wow._ She thought. _This place is HUGE!_ She realized that she could get lost here easily, but that was the least of her troubles. She was still thinking about whether or not she would fit in or not. Namine wasn't exactly what you would call a social butterfly. No, she was total social pariah. she was socially enept and just plain awkward. Back in destiny islands, she had a few friends but they weren't exactly cool either. Namine was in her Junior year, and she knew how hard it would be. It wasn't going to be like elementry school, where everyone was friends with each other. No, it was going to be hell for her.

Once she got into her room, she dropped her belongings onto the floor and hopped into the only unclaimed bed left. It was by the window, which was perfect. She could see the beautiful scenery outside, a perfect place to sketch. Namine was so tired, she didn't even bother kicking off her shoes. It didn't take her long to fall asleep either.

**Namine's Dream/Flashback**

_A ten ye_ar _old Namine sat in the back of the room, doodling in her notebook. She was an outcast and was often forgotten about. In fact, the kids in her class didn't even know her name. That's why she was so happy to hear that she would be moving out of hollow bastion for good. She was going to move somewhere nice and sunny, while everyone stayed in this cold and dark place. The bell had rang and it was lunch time. Namine hated that time. She always ate alone and sat by the wall everyday. _

_She went to her cubby to get her lunch, but a note hanging loose in her cubby caught her eye. She picked it up and read it. _

_**Dear Namine,**_

_** I heard that you were moving and I'm really gonna miss you. I know we never talked but before you**_

_** go, i really need to see you. I loved you since the day I met you. Now you're leaving, and I didn't even get**_

_** a chance to say it. Meet me at the park at 6?**_

_Namine crunched the letter into a ball and threw it away. Tears filled her eyes, she hated it when people played jokes on her. Especially jokes like that. That day, Namine didn't come back after recess, and didn't bother going to the park. Instead, she left Hollow Bastion for Destiny Islands at an earlier time._

Namie woke up to the sound of voices in the room. "Guys.. I think your roomate's dead!" A girl whispered. Namine opened her eyes slowly to see a short haired brunette with green eyes hovering over her. "EEK!" The girl shrieked and jumped back. Namine looked around to see a girl with silver hair and red eyes rolling her eyes at the girl, and a long haired brunette by her side.

"Sorry about that. She can be such a bimbo at times," The girl with the silver hair said. "I'm Fuu by the way. That's olette and the girl who woke you up was Selphie," Selphie smiled, regaining her color.

"It's okay. I'm Namine and I'm-" She began, but she was interrupted by Selphie, who pulled her to her feet and gave her a bone crushing hug.

"We're going to be best friends! i just know it," Selphie squealed.

"Can't. Breathe!" Namine wheezed. Selphie immediantly let go and smiled.

"C'mon, I have to show you to Kairi!" She said, yanking her out of the room and down to the lobby.

"Hey Kairi! Meet the new girl, Namine!" Selphie said to a pretty red haired girl.

"Hi, Namine," The red head smiled warmly. "So you just transferred from Destiny High, right?"

Namine nodded. "Yeah. My parents wanted me out of their hair," She chuckled.

"My parents threw a party when I left," Selphie stated.

"Who wouldn't?" Kairi joked. Selphie punched her playfully.

Namine played with her fingers uncomfortably. So far things were going well with the whole fitting in, but she was pretty sure that they were going to ask her to sit with them during lunch. What if she said something weird during lunch?

"Listen, Were going out to lunch. Wanna come?" Kairi asked.

"Sure, " Namine smiled. _Don't freak them out Namine! _

"Kay, meet us at the parking lot at lunch,"_ Kairi smiled. _"Oh, and Roxas is looking for you. He's your guide to Twilight Academy," She pointed to a spiky blond haired boy with baby blue eyes, waiting by the steps.

"Lucky you," Selphie giggled. "He's soo hot!"

Namine's face dropped when she saw him. "I thought my guide was supposed to be a girl?"

Kairi shrugged. "Sakura got injured during gym and she's at the hospital. Nobody else had time to show you around, 'cept for Roxas,"

Namine frowned. She didn't speak boy! she would look like a total idiot in front of him!_ Just get this over with Nami_, she thought to herself as she walked up to him. He was leaning against the rail, with his back to her. "..Roxas?" She called. He didn't respond. "Roxas," She called a little louder. When he didn't respond, she rolled her eyes and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey!" Roxas jumped forward. He turned around to look at her.

"S-sory," Namine stammered. _What's his problem?_ "I didn't mean to scare you," She said shyly.

"I wasn't scared. I just....don't like being touched is all," He said in a low voice. He looked pretty agravated with her.

"I had to. You didn't respond when I kept calling you," Namine explained.

"You should have spoken up," He grumbled. "C'mon. Let's get this over with." Roxas led her out of the lobby and into the halls. "That's the home ec lab," He pointed to the room next door. The two kept walking. "There's the gymnasium. This is for the dance, gymnastics, and basketball team," He was talking in a tone that screamed "I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE RIGHT NOW!" It bugged Namine a little. Usually, guys were nice to the new girl on her first day especially if the girl was cute. But maybe that was the thing, maybe she wasn't cute? "There's the pool, for the swimming team and for special occasions. Next door is the ice rink for the hockey team and sometimes when they're not using it people use it to freeskate." He sighed. "Look, I don't want to be here doing this, and you don't really want to do this either...-"

"What's your problem?" Namine interrupted him. "I didn't do anything to you. So why are you pissed at me?"

Roxas' eyes went cold. "Oh you don't remember, huh?"

Namine was confused. "I just met you..?"

"Forget it. You wouldn't get it anyway. I'll get someone else to show you around," He mumbled, walking away with his hands in his pockets.

Namine didn't know what it was about him, but he made her want to pull out her hair. There he was acting all cool and getting all pissed at her for no reason. What the hell did she do to him? and what did he mean _'Oh you don't remember, huh?'_ she never met him until now! was it possible that the two knew each other from somewhere?


	2. Never In A Million Years!

Chapter Two

Namine continued the tour with a boy named Sora. "Sorry about that. Roxas sucks when it comes to girls," He explained.

"You don't have to tell me that," Namine sighed. "What's his deal, anyway?" she asked him.

"Oh, he's allergic to girls," Sora said.

"Isn't that a little immature? shouldn't he be over the girls-have-cooties-stage?" Namine asked.

"No, seriously. He's allergic to girls. That's why he doesn't like girls touching him, or getting too close to him. If they do, he gets this nasty rash!" Sora smiled. "You don't want to be his roommate when he breaks out,"

"I don't want to be near him, period," Namine said. That explained his weirdness earlier on, but that didn't explain the reason why he was being such a jerk to her on the tour.

"He's a real nice guy once you get to know him," Sora had known Roxas since sixth grade, and since then the two had been inseperable.

"I'm sure he is," Namine grumbled.

Sora continued on with the tour. Though he talked about a different topic most of the time. "You know, you're not like other girls around here. You're pretty cool," Sora said.

Namine blushed. _He thinks i'm cool?_ "Thanks. Not a lot of people think so,"

"I bet the guys would really like you, here let me introduce you to them!" Before Namine could protest, Sora yanked Namine to her feet and dragged her into the boys lounge.

"Um.. are you sure I should be here?" Namine asked.

Sora shrugged. "Nope, but what's a little visit going to do?" He pulled her towards a group of guys lounging in the couch. "Hey guys, This is Namine. She's new here and she's pretty cool,"

Namine waved shyly at the boys. "Hi," The guys scanned her up and down before saying anything.

"She's cute." a blond haired boy said. "I'm hayner," He got up to introduce himself to her. "I'm on the basketball team," He grinned.

"Yeah. He's the water boy," a silver haired boy grinned. "I'm Riku, nice to meet you," He said. "That's Pence over there. The one beasting on the chips," Riku grabbed the bowl away from him to prevent pence from finishing the whole thing by himself.

"Hey, I'm hungry!" Pence whined. "How am i supposed to work on an empty stomach?"

"You just had five pancakes fifteen minutes ago, fat ass," a blond haired boy with a black cap said.

"Shut up Seifer! and I'm not fat. I'm big boned," Pence proclaimed.

"Right," Seifer rolled his eyes. He turned to Namine. "So where did you come from?"

"Destiny Islands," Namine said uncomfortably. She wasn't comfortable with a whole group of guys huddled all over her. "My parents are too busy for me, so they think that being in a boarding school will make up for them leaving,"

"Destiny Islands? Wow. So do you like the city life so far?" Hayner asked.

"I haven't really toured around the town. Twilight Academy was my first stop," Namine said.

"We should show you around then," Seifer grinned. "Twilight Town is full of action, let me tell you that."

Riku rolled his eyes. "Don't listen to him. He thinks that we live in the ghetto,"

Namine chuckled. "Is it really in the ghetto?"

"The only action we ever get is auto theft, and disturbing the peace. So yeah, if you call that action," Hayner replied. "But Twilight Town aint so bad. Let us show you around at lunch?"

"Sorry, I'm going with Kairi and the girls," Namine said.

"Don't. They're lame," Seifer said.

"They're nice," Namine said. "Besides, I'm roommates with Fuu and Olette. It's a good way to try to get along with them," She explained.

"If you change your mind, come meet us by the bleacher okay?" Riku said, munching on some chips.

As if there weren't enough guys, more friends came. "Hey guys, who's the chick?" a red haired guy asked. He was tall and skinny and looked a little menacing.

"Her name's Namine, and she's new here so don't scare her off," Sora said. "They're friends of ours and they're seniors so they have connections to some awesome parties," He said, turning to Namine, who nodded.

"So how do you like it here so far?" A brunette asked. "I'm Tidus by the way,"

Namine had to think about it first, before answering. "Hm...Well, it's nothing like Destiny High. It's so easy to get lost in. And of course, I'm actually away from home," Namine replied.

"You're not homesick yet, are you?" The red head asked.

"No. I'm sort of used to not seeing my parents for long periods of time," Namine replied.

"Good for you," The guy chuckled. "This guy here, Demyx, cried the first night he came here," He grinned.

"I wasn't crying, Axel," Demyx said through gritted teeth. "There was something in my eye,"

"Suure," an onyx haired boy said. "I'm Zexion. The brains of this group,"

"He's also a big dork," Axel snickered. Zexion rolled his eyes at him. "Sticks and stones," He mumbled to himself.

"You met Roxas already, right?" Demyx asked.

Namine nodded. "I could tell. He broke out in rashes on his shoulder. It was nasty, you had to be there," He grinned.

"I'd rather not..." Namine said in disgust. She looked up at the clock. It was 8:10. Five minutes until class was in session. "Class is starting soon. We should go?"

Seifer shrugged. "Yeah, I really don't feel like getting a detention from Xehnort anyway."

"Yeah, he gives the worst detentions!" A boy with a headband declared. "I remember being in his class everyday with Demyx for detention," He grinned.

"That's Wakka," Sora said. "He's in most of our classes because he's a bit of a slow learner. So is Demyx,"

"What do you have first?" Riku asked Namine.

"Uh...History," She replied, looking at her schedule. Riku stood up from his perch and nodded. "Me too. I'll walk you there,"

The guys gave him a thumbs up, when Namine wasn't looking. "Thanks," Namine smiled. _I guess he's sorta cute_, she thought to herself. Without looking where she was going, she bumped into something hard, causing her to trip over herself and fall over the object. The object turned out to be Roxas. "OH GOD!" She yelled getting herself off of him. "Sorry! Please don't break out!" She begged. Roxas blinked. Then he gave an angry glare at the guys. "You TOLD her? Shit, that's a secret! I can't believe you guys!" Roxas yelled. He was beet red, and his eyes were burning.

"Relax dude. We didn't think you would mind. And a secret? everybody knows about your allergy, so don't get mad at us!" Riku snapped. Roxas glared at him, but shrugged. "Yeah. What kind of secret is it anyway. Everybody knows. Sorry for being a-" He began.

"total bitch?" Namine finished for him. Roxas glared at her. "Watch where you're going," He growled.

"Me? Why don't you?" Namine snapped back. Riku stepped in between them. "Whoa, guys. Chill. You cool off. Namine, Let's get to class,"

Namine rushed out of the scene. God, she couldn't stand him. What was up with that jerk? He needed a reality check! Riku sat behind her in History class. It was a good thing because he told her the answers to some questions that he knew. Namine really hadn't expected him to be that smart. _Cute and smart. I could go for a guy like him_.

Olette sat across from her, and would pass notes to her when Luxord wasn't looking. "Psst!" Olette handed Namine a folded piece of paper. Namine slid it on her lap, and unfolded it note read, 'What's going on with you and Riku?' Namine rolled her eyes, but wrote back. 'Nothing!' Did Olette really think that there was something between her and Riku? It was her first day and guys always sucked up to the new girls.

After class, Kairi ran up to her. "Oh my gosh, is it true?" Namine was confused. What was true?

"What? what did you hear?" Namine asked.

"I heard that you - Namine Utada - have a thing for Riku Takeshi. Is that true?" Kairi asked.

"No! I think he's cute, but..." Namine blushed. What was up with everyone thinking that? "It's just because I'm new. That's all."Namine explained.

Kairi frowned. "You guys would look so cute together," Namine rolled her eyes. "Whatever. What do you have next?"

"Calculus," Kairi pretended to gag.

"Ew. I have Phys Ed. Wish me luck," She said. Namine had always been quite clumsy. She didn't thrive in sports, in fact she was always the last one to be picked for teams.

Sitting in gym class, Namine could already tell that she was in hell. Especially since Roxas walked in. "No. No. you can't be serious," She said when he sat next to her.

"It's not like I want to sit next to you," Roxas said. "Or maybe I do," He grinned. His grin made Namine want to punch him. She rolled her eyes, and turned her head away from him. She couldnt' stand the site of him!

"Class, today were going to start the year off with Football!" Xigbar yelled. All the boys pumped their fists when they heard this. The girls groaned. Football? really?

As if Football wasn't enough, they had to run laps around the school. Namine was a fast runner, but she had no intentions of being the first one on the bleachers. No, she was going to take it nice and easy. That is, until Roxas showed up again. "Slow poke!" He yelled, and then sped off. Usually that wouldn't have bothered her, but just because Roxas called her that, she was furious. She raced past him, "Who's the slow poke now?" She grinned.

"Dude. The girl can run," Hayner said. Roxas shook his head. He wasn't going to let some chicken legged girl beat him. He sped past Hayner and caught up with Namine. It was tough to get past her, but Roxas wasn't discouraged. Besides, he could hear Namine's unsteady breathing, which meant that she would slow down pretty soon. He smiled to himself. "Tired?" He asked.

Namine shook her head. "You wish! I'm just getting started!" She smiled. _I swear if I don't stop running, my lungs are going to burst!_ Namine mustered all the power in her legs to run forward. She thrust herself forward, and raced ahead of Roxas, leaving him awestruck.

"She beat me." He said to himself. "I lost to Her!?" Roxas was angry now. He was determined to show her up in football.

It was two hand touch football, but the guys always tackled each other anyway. He had Hayner on his team, which was a good thing. He was good at defense, but not too good at catching the ball. The whole school had a nickname for him "Butter Fingers" Roxas was pumped up. He loved football, almost as much as blitzball. Namine on the otherhad was scared as hell. She felt like she was going to pass out as soon as the game started. She knew that Roxas was out to get her. She turned to Pence and whispered, "Help. Roxas is out to get me!" Pence just smiled and waved her off. "Don't be silly. He wouldn't hurt a fly," Namine shook Pence and hissed, "Wouldn't hurt a fly? yeah right! did you see the way he looked at me this morning?" Pence steadied himself when she was released him. Before he could say anything to try to calm her down, the whistle blew and the game began.

Namine spent most of her time hiding behind other players, rather than looking for an opening. She didn't want to get killed by Roxas! Hell no she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of bringing her pain! Though she wasn't looking for an opening, somehow the ball found it's way into her hands. "No I don't want the ball!" She yelled. "Someone else take it!" She tried giving the ball to Pence, but he wouldn't take it. "No, no, no. I'm not taking that thing! you know what will happen to me! I'll get crushed!" He exclaimed, backing away from her. "You know what'll happen to me?" Namine asked, dodging the other people who were charging at her. "I'm going to get killed!" She yelled as soon as she saw Roxas running after her. Namine tried to run as fast as she could, but her legs gave in. Roxas grabbed her by the waste and tossed her to the ground.

Luckily for her, she wasn't a fragile china doll. No, she was pretty tough for someone so sweet looking. "Get off me!" She yelled pounding at Roxas' chest. Roxas smiled at her. "You know, I was having second thoughts about this idea, but i take it back. Seeing you so defensless is worth the rashes!"

"I'm not defenseless!" Namine growled. "I just.. can't do anything right now," Roxas was too strong for her. She was trapped under his weight, but she could tell that he was going easy on her. Xigbar ran over to the two. "Roxas, what the hell is wrong with you? go sit out!" He scolded him. Then he turned to Namine, "You okay?" Namine nodded and got up. She was just happy to be away from Roxas. Pence and Hayner rushed up to her. "Are you okay?" They asked in unision. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," Namine said holding both hands up. "See Pence, what did I tell you?"

"He's not usually like this. He usually stays away from girls but you... he can't get enough of you," Hayner said. Namine blushed at this. It just sounded wrong.

"I think he likes you deep down," Pence smiled.

"Ew." Namine rolled her eyes. Pence laughed. "C'mon. I bet you like him deep down too!" Namine shoved him in the chest playfully.

"Never in a million years!" She declared. If only she had seen what the future had in store for her.


	3. Midday Scramble

Chapter Three

Namine and the girls had gone to the mall to eat. Selphie had suggested the mall, being the shopaholic of the group. Namine wasn't into shopping at all, unless it was for food. Fuu wasn't into it either. While the others went to window shop, the two kept each other company. "I heard about what happend with you and Roxas," Fuu said, taking a sip of her soda. "Yeah, he tackled me after I beat him in a race," Namine smiled. "I kept warning the guys that he was out to get me."

"The guys being Pence and Hayner? they don't listen to anyone but themselves," Fuu smiled.

"I'll keep that in mind," Namine smiled. "I mean, why do they think that Roxas is so nice anyway?"

"Uh.. cause their his friends?" Fuu replied.

"Yeah, but he's a total ass," Namine said.

"No, he's really nice. You're just...different I guess. He usually keeps to himself anyways," Fuu said. Namine blushed, remembering what Hayner said about him earlier.

Fuu looked at her watch. "We have to go in a few. That means we have to heard up the gang." Namine groaned. They could be anywhere in the mall! Fuu smiled at her symphathetically, "Don't worry, it's not too hard to find Olette,"

Olette was found at the pet store, cooing at the puppies. "Who's a cute little doggie? you are!" She said in a baby voice. Fuu and Namine lauged at their friend. "Come on, Olette. We have to go now," Fuu said. Olette pouted, but followed them out. Next was Selphie and Kairi, who was found at Abercrombie and Fitch. Selphie bought a cute pair of jeans, while Kairi bought a layerable tank. "It's cute right?" She asked. Olette nodded, "It brings out your eyes!" she complented. "Eh. It's okay," Fuu said, not even trying to pretend to be interested in it. Namine shrugged. "Yeah, it's really cute." Kairi giggled and asked, "Do you think Sora will like it on me?"

Sora? did she really like Sora? "You like Sora?" Namine blurted.

"Yeah...." Kairi said shyly. "But I'm too scared to ask him out!"

"Oh. Well he's a nice guy." Namine said. It came as a surprise to her. Sora looked like a total dweeb, besides she thought that Kairi would like Riku instead.

"Yeah. He's so dreamy," Kairi said in a far away tone.

"If you like geeky guys, that is," Fuu smirked.

"Well you like a total wannabe," Kairi barked. Fuu held up her hands to show that she was backing off.

"You like Hayner?" Namine asked. _Geez, what is up with them liking that group of guys?_

"No way! That's Olette," Selphie giggled. "Besides, Fuu has a thing for Seifer."

"Well you like Tidus!" A flustered Olette said.

"What can I say, I like older guys." Selphie grinned.

"Are you kidding me? Tidus acts like a twelve year old! and he's going out with Yuna." Olette retorted.

"One of these days he's going to wake up and realize that Yuna's not the girl for him." Selphie declared. The girls chuckled at their friend and headed out of the mall.

**Meanwhile....**

The boys hung out by the bleachers, which was their usual spot. "I think I ate too much..."Pence moaned.

"You always eat too much." Seifer snickered.

"Shut up." Pence punched him in the shoulder.

"Make me, fat ass!" Seifer growled.

"Quit it you guys!" Larxene snapped. Larxene was one of the boys, as far as anyone was concerned. "God, I swear you two are like my five year old brothers!" She groaned.

"Only hotter, right?" Pence grinned.

"Yeah...sure. You guys are smoking hot." Larxene said rolling her eyes. She turned to the rest, who were just lounging in the corner. "Did you guys hear about the dance?"

"Hm? Oh yeah. Yuna told me about it. I'm going with her, obviously. You guys have dates yet?" Tidus asked.

"I'm thinking about asking Lulu," Wakka said. "Any advice on trying to win her over?"

"Lulu? the girl who practices voodo?" Axel asked. Wakka shot him a look when Axel laughed. "Sorry, you're talking to the wrong guys. Why don't you ask her friends?"

"Yeah.. That's a smarter idea." Wakka replied.

"I'm thinking about asking Namine to the dance." Riku announced.

"Her? Alright man, but I don't know what you see in her." Roxas mumbled. "I'm thinking about sitting this one out."

"What? why?" Sora asked. He knew about his allergy, but come on, it was the first dance of the year!

"Cuz.... you know why." Roxas replied. He didn't want to break out in rashes during the dance and scare everyone away.

"Who cares if you get nasty rashes! grow some balls and come with us!" Larxene exclaimed.

"Even if I did go, I'd be alone. You guys have your dates, and I have no one." Roxas pointed out.

"I'm going with Zexion, Axel, and Demyx as a group. You can come with us," Larxene offered.

"Okay...I guess I'll come." Roxas said, caving in. "But keep Namine away from me," He snapped at Riku, who just grinned.

"Actually guys, I'm thinking about asking Tifa to the dance." Demyx smiled.

"Good luck with that." Axel said.

"What? you don't think that she'll say yes?" Demyx asked.

"Duh. No girl in the entire school would want to go with you." Axel laughed.

"keep laughing, but you'll be crying when I DO get a date." Demyx said. "Besides, what's wrong with me?"

"A LOT of things. One: you're mentally retarded, Two: you act like a five year old on crack, Three: you're a total clutz!" Larxene snorted.

"A clutz? I'm not a clutz!" Demyx proclaimed.

"Uh... newsflash, yeah you are!" Larxene said firmly.

"Hot of the press, No I'm NOT!" Demyx snapped.

"Forecast for today, yes you ARE!" Larxene shouted.

"Cool it. You guys are giving ME a headache!" Pence intervened. "Larx, take a chill pill and Demyx, you are a clutz. face it."

"So I have a tendency to put people in the hospital, that doesn't make me a clutz." Demyx said.

"Uhh...yeah it sorta does." Larxene said. "You're the reason why Xigbar's missing an eye!"

**Flashback**

_Demyx had been wandering the halls of Twilight Academy. His friends had ditched him while playing hide and seek. Some friends they were. He decided that he should do something more useful, like study for the big test in English. But that was before he stumbled upon Xigbar's little toy gun. He NEVER leaves it by itself. You don't come across a day like this. Demyx picked up the weapon and was getting ready to shoot at the target on Xigbar's door. But Vexen interrupted him. "Demyx! what are you doing!?" he yelled. Demyx had gotten frightened and pulled the trigger on accident. Just as the bullet was aimed, the door swung open and Xigbar appeared. He was absent for three days, and lost his eye because of Demyx. Since then, he wasn't able to forgive Demyx for what he did. _

"That can happen to anybody." Demyx stated. "How was I supposed to know that he was in the room?"

"You shouldn't have been playing with it in the first place." Zexion replied.

"Like you wouldn't play with it! you saw how cool it looked!" Demyx pointed out.

"Whatever. You are so not going to get a date," Tidus laughed.

"I'll show you guys that I CAN get a date. By the end of today, I'll have tons of hot chicks going to the dance with me!" Demyx said, stalking off to campus. The guys just snickered at him, they really didn't think that he could get a date.

"What about you, Sora? who're you taking?" Seifer asked. He already knew who he wanted to take. He was pretty sure that everyone knew too, so there was no chance that anyone else was gonna ask her.

"Eh..I don't know. Kairi maybe?" Sora had always liked Kairi, but was too shy to admit it. The two had always been friends, and what if she didn't like him like that? things would get so awkward between them.

"I always knew you liked her." Hayner grinned.

Sora shoved him, "I don't like her. We're just friends!"

Hayner rolled his eyes, "Okay well I'll ask her out then, seeing as you two are just friends." He emphasized on the word just.

"What? NO! you can't do that. I thought you were asking Olette?" Sora asked.

"Olette and I are just friends." Hayner grinned mockingly. "Besides, Kairi's kinda cute. I think I might take her on a real date after the dance,"

Sora grew red and was about to punch Hayner in the mouth, but Wakka grabbed him just in time. "Relax, If you really like her, I won't go to the dance with her." Hayner assured him.

Sora shook his head. "Go to the dance with her. See what I care. We're just friends, but don't take her on a real date!" He said stubbornly. Sora just wasn't letting on yet.

"Well, it's been fun chatting with you guys, but I have a date to ask out!" Pence said, wagging his eyebrows.

"By date, do you mean Selphie?" Riku asked.

"Yup," I've been waiting for this day to ask her.

"Yeah, and you already know her answer: Hell. No." Seifer grinned.

"Can it, Seif. You won't be grinning when she says Yes." Pence retorted.

"You sound just like Demyx." Larxene chimed. "It's annoying!"

"Yeah, well that's Pence for ya!" Seifer said. Pence rolled his eyes, and hopped off his seat. He had to find Selphie before someone else asked her. She being so beautiful and all, guys were probably lining up for her already!

"God, it's so stupid. Why bother with getting a date?" Axel asked in a cynical tone. He never really saw the point in going with a date to the dance. People always just arrived with one guy, and danced with a different person anyway.

"You're just grumpy cause no one wants to take you to the dance." Riku snickered. "But since you think that you're too cool for everyone around here, you don't really care right?"

"Of course I don't care!" Axel snapped. "Why the hell would I? I'm too good for every girl in campus."

"Is that so?" Yuffie popped in on the conversation.

"Oh great, it's you and you're band of barbie dolls." Axel said rolling his eyes.

"Shut up, porcupine head!" Yuffie punched him on the arm as hard as she could,

"So you guys heard about the dance?" Rikku piped up.

"Yeah. Tidus told us all about it." Wakka replied. "I hope it's a good one, not like last years cheesy atlantis theme."

"Yeah, and hopefully Demyx won't end up throwing up all over the snack bar this time." Pence added. Demyx had one too many finger sandwhiches and ended up chucking it all up on everyone else's meals.

"Speaking of Demyx," Zexion chimed in. "He's actually thinking about asking Tifa to the dance."

"Tifa?" Rikku laughed. "He doesn't stand a chance!"

Yuna pouted. "Well, did you encourage him atleast?"

"No." Tidus replied. "Nobody wants to go with him to the dance!"

"The least you could have done was support him! how do you think he feels about himself knowing that you guys don't think that he has any chances with a girl?" Yuna asked.

Roxas rolled his eyes at her. "Anything else you need to preach to us about?"

"I'm just saying," Yuna shrugged.

"Yeah... I think we better say something to Demyx, you guys." Tidus said sheepishly.

"WHAT?" Sora blurted out. "Do my ears deceive me?"

"Shut it, dork. I think Yuna's right. We are his friends and we should help him out a little." Tidus replied.

"Dude, you are so being whipped." Seifer grinned while pretending to whip Tidus.

"I'm not whipped!" Tidus exclaimed.

"Yeah. Sure...." Riku said rolling his eyes. "That's what they all say,"

"I'm not WHIPPED! Wakka, am I whipped?" Tidus asked his trusty best friend since seconed grade.

Wakka looked away uncomfortably. "Well....I wouldn't say whipped...but," He began, forcing himself to look at his best friend. "As much as it hurts me to say this to you....you sorta' have your nose up her ass,"

Tidus just blinked, not believing that even his best friend thought that he was being controlled by Yuna. He shook his head, and turned to Yuffie. "Yuffie, do you think that I have my nose up Yuna's ass?"

"Yeah." Yuffie said quickly. "But look on the bright side! look where that's gotten you! the two of you have been going strong for five years now and are making love to only one person!"

"We haven't done it yet." Tidus mumbled.

"What? you've been kissing her ass for how many years and still aint giving it to you!?" Seifer exclaimed.

"What did I tell ya," Roxas said shaking his head. "Pretty soon he's going to be reading the bible and preaching to us every sunday."

"She's not ready for it! It's not my problem, it's hers!" He growled.

"Tidus, I thought that you understood about how I felt about sex!?" Yuna asked.

"I do but that doesn't mean that I think that way about it too." Tidus replied.

"So you'd actually give up something special to someone you might not even spend the rest of your life with?" Yuna couldn't believe what she just heard. The guys on the other hand, were getting a kick out of this.

"Yeah, I would. I can't wait forever, Yuna. I'm a guy! I need sex or else I'll end up like one of those people who beat on their meat!" Tidus snapped.

"If that's how you feel, you can forget about going to the dance with me!" Yuna shouted, stomping away from the group.

"Aww.. C'mon! Just because I don't think the way you do, makes you mad?" Tidus said running after Yuna.

"That's what happens when you go out with a girl for too long." Axel commented.

"It doesn't always end like that." Hayner said.

Axel shrugged, "But it does most of the time."

The guys couldn't argue with that. "Who are you guys going to the dance with?" Sora asked.

"I'm still searching for the perfect escort." Yuffie smiled.

Rikku rolled her eyes, "Yeah, it's been a hell of a day. She has some stupid chart to score guys."

"How do you score them?" Hayner asked.

"Easy," Yuffie said. "On looks: they have to have good hair, blue eyes, have a hot body, and be tall. On peronality: they have to be funny, intelligent, and interesting. And yeah.. that's about it!"

"Good luck finding that type of guy," Larxene said. "All the guys here are tools."

"Not all of them are," Yuffie protested. "There's got to be some guy you like around here!"

The guys laughed at that. "Larxene liking a guy? that'll never happen!" Sora exclaimed.

Larxene gave the group death glares, and turned back to Yuffie and Rikku. "As a matter of fact, I do."

Yuffie squealed, taking Larxene's hands and jumping up and down like a cheer leader. "Tell me who! tell me who!"

"Calm down and I will!" Larxene said. Yuffie stopped jumping and dragged her to the far end of the school building where nobody could hear them.

"Guys, I think we just lost Larxene to the darkside." Roxas said.

"That's why we have replacements." Axel joked. "Hey Payne, wanna be our Larxene for awhile?"

Payne just rolled her eyes at them. "I heard Yuna and Tidus had a spat, is that true?"

Wakka nodded his head. "Yeah, it's true."

"Finally. I don't know what Yuna see's in that boy! he's so wrong for her!" Payne declared.

"Who died and made you in charge of who can and can't be together?" Riku asked.

"No one. I'm just saying that they were bound to break up and realize that they didn't belong with each other." Payne said shrugging her shoulders.

Hearing that, Roxas began thinking about the day he had his heart broken. He had thought that she was the most amazing girl in the whole world when no one else did. He saw something in her, but apparently she didn't see anything in him. He knew that he was just a young boy back then, but he really thought that he was in love.

"Roxas....Roxas......" Zexion said, trying to get his friend to respond. When he wasn't responding, Hayner kicked him in the balls.

"Ow! what the fuck!?" Roxas said snapping out of his thoughts. The pain was just so unbearable right now, he thought he might even shed a tear. Of course, he wasn't going to let anyone see him cry. It was bad enough that he had a nasty rash going on.

"Dude, you can't just daze off on us!" Seifer said.

"I only dozed off for five minutes!" Roxas replied. "What? did the world fall apart without me?" he said sarcastically.

"No, but look who's here." Seifer said, pointing to a group of girls containing Selphie, Kairi, Olette, Fuu, and Namine.

"Oh great. More company," He said. As Roxas was about to get up and leave, Riku grabbed him by his shirt tail and yanked him back down. "Dude. I'm not sticking around to hear guys chat with the devil," Roxas whispered.

"Dude. Yes you are. Besides, what do you have against her anyways?" Riku asked.

"A lot of things." Roxas said.

"Just sit down and look cool." Riku barked.

**Okay, i'm going to leave it there for chapter four! thanks guys for reviewing, i really appreciate it. and no, i don't think that it's possible for a guy to be allergic to girls, though i do think that it would be cool! i wasn't able to update soon because of school and everything, but it's summer vacation and i'm stuck in the house for awhile, so i'll be updating this like crazy!**


	4. Something Familiar

Chapter Four

Namine groaned when the girls dragged her over to the Roxas' group. She really didn't want to be here right now, but all her friends did and she really didn't have anything else to do. _'It's not like I have to pay any attention to him anyway.'_ She told herself. "Hi." She forced herself to say to the group once they had come close enough. The group smiled back except for Roxas who was looking at his feet.

"Hey Sora, I bought this new top. What do you think about it?" Kairi asked.

"Uh...It's nice, I guess..." Sora replied.

Kairi frowned. She expected him to give her dozens of complements. "How does it look on me?" She asked, twirling around.

"umm..Good?" Sora answered.

"You could be a little more lively, you know." Seifer whispered.

Sora shrugged at that, and turned back to Kairi. "So did you hear about the dance?"

Kairi's eyes were the size of a tenis ball when she heard this. "A DANCE?"

"Yeah, Tidus told us about it." Riku replied.

"Hey, where is Tidus?" Selphie asked, scanning the area.

"He had a lovers spat with Yuna." Zexion said.

Selphie grinned at Fuu, who rolled her eyes. "What did I tell ya?" she mouthed.

"Anyways.." Hayner began. "Back to the dance. I was wondering if you would go to the dance with me?" He asked.

"YES! I'll go to the dance with you!" Ollette said, jumping up and down.

"Uh...I was asking Kairi," Hayner said slowly.

"Oh." Ollette stopped jumping abruptly. She looked like a deflated balloon, Namine couldn't help but notice.

"It's okay Ollette, we'll find someone else way hotter for you." Namine whispered. Ollette just nodded, still clearly embarrassed and hurt. Namine knew she liked him, and she could feel her pain. sort of. She knew what it was like to be rejected.

"Um..I'll think about it? I mean, unless anyone else wants to take me?" Kairi said hinting at Sora, who was poking a bug with a stick. When no one else answered, Kairi slouched and nodded at Hayner. "Yeah...I'll go with you."

At this, Ollette let out a small shriek and ran off with tears streaming down her face. Namine was about to follow her, but Fuu grabbed her wrist. "I'll check up on her, you stay here. I think you need to talk to Kairi,"

"Me?" Namine whispered. "Okay.." Namine wasn't sure how she felt about Kairi right now. She was pretty pissed at her for saying yes to the boy Ollette liked, but she also knew that Kairi wouldn't have been able to say no to anybody unless Sora asked.

"What's her problem?" Seifer asked.

Namine shook her head. "Nothing. Just go back to talking about guy stuff." Namine said, taking Kairi aside.

The two walked toward the old oak tree, where no one else could hear them. "What was that?" Namine said in a low voice.

"What was what?" Kairi said innocently.

"THAT! you know Ollette likes Hayner!" Namine growled.

"I know...I didn't mean to hurt her! it was just that...when he asked me, I wanted Sora to take me but he didn't say anything and then I got mad and..and.. I said yes." Kairi said fighting back tears.

"I know you didn't. But I don't think Ollette does. You better talk to her about it." Namine said, giving her a hug.

Kairi smiled at her and said "You're such a good friend. I haven't even known you for a whole day," she laughed. Namine laughed too, and then let her go to confront Ollette.

Kairi began walking towards a crying Ollette, a comforting Selphie and a sympathetic Fuu. Namine headed back to the boys, who were engaged in a conversation about who's hot and who's not.

Sora turned and noticed Namine. "Is everything okay?" He asked, obviosly worried.

_'No! everything's not okay! you didn't ask Kairi out!'_ Namine wanted to say, but instead she said, "Yeah. Everything's cool. So who are you taking to the dance?"

"I don't know. I might just hang with Axel, Zexion, and Larxene if she doesn't change her mind." Sora replied.

"Axel, Zexion, and who?" Namine was unfamiliar with the last one.

"Larxene. You haven't met her yet, but she's been bugging me to introduce her to you all day and don't worry, she's cool too." He assured her.

Riku was deep in the conversation, until he noticed Sora talking and laughing with Namine. He couldn't help but feel a familar pang of emotion. _'I can't let it happen to me again'_ He thought.

"Hey, Namine," He said walking up to her. "Can I talk to you for a second?" He asked. "Alone." Sora held up his hands and left the two.

"Um...yeah?" Namine said, motioning for him to talk.

"It's about the dance...Do you want to go with me?" Riku asked.

It took a second for his words to register in her mind. "Yeah.. Yeah, I'll go with you," She nodded, not even realizing that she had accepted his invitation.

"Cool. I'll pick you up at your room then?" He asked, not really knowing what to say.

Namine smiled. "Just meet me at the dance? I don't think there's any point in walking another flight of steps for me." Riku smiled back and returned to the guys with a grin on his face.

"OMG! HE ASKED YOU OUT DIDN'T HE???" Selphie yelled.

Namine jumped back, startled. "HOLY CRAP!" Namine said, holding a hand to her chest. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"Sorry!" Selphie said, locking Namine into one of her bear hugs again. "Whatcha gonna wear to the dance?"

"I dunno, a tank and shorts?" Selphie immediantly let go of Namine to give her a look that said "DID YOU SAY WHAT I THINK YOU SAID?"

"What? don't give me that look!" Namine said, when Selphie scanned her up and down.

"You are not serious, are you?" Selphie asked.

"What's wrong with what I'm going to wear?" Namine asked. It was just a dance, after all.

"A gazzilion things! most importantly, it's Riku were talking about. Mr. Perfect. Mr. Hard to get." Selphie said.

"He's not Mr. Hard to get if he asked me out." Namine said. "I mean, he's probably only asking me to the dance because I'm new. Besides, I don't think he's Mr. Perfect. I'm crazy about him like a bunch of other girls around here"

"Mmmhmm," Selphie said. "Tell me you didn't feel giddy when he asked you out?"

Namine couldn't lie. She did feel like rockets were lifting off in her stomach when he asked her. But then again, she could have just been excited at the fact that she was actually going to a dance with a guy. Namine shook her head. The feeling couldn't have been that strong for just that. "Okay. I did. But so what? I'm not In love with him. I'm just crushing on him right now." Namine smiled.

Selphie grabbed her hands and let out the loudest squeal she had ever heard in her life. Even the guys stopped to see what was going on. "We have got to give you a makeover! To the spa!" She said whisking Namine away.

"Wow...."Seifer said.

"Yeah...Looks like she's going to be looking really nice for you." Axel said.

"Crap." Riku said. "That means, I have to dress up too, don't I?"

The guys nodded. "You know who we have to take you to, right?"

"I wish I didn't," Riku muttered.

**Meanwhile**

"I said I was sorry, Ollette, what more do you want from me?" Kairi said.

"I want you to get away from me!" Ollette sobbed.

"I won't go away until you forgive me!" Kairi said firmly.

"Fine. Then I'll go!" Ollette got up and stormed away from her friends. Fuu looked at Kairi and shrugged.

"You shouldn't have done it you know.."Fuu said softly.

"I didn't do it on purpose!" Kairi growled. She was getting frustrated with the whole thing. She and Ollette had been friends since kindergarten, and it was begginning to look like this was the end of their friendship.

"Well, to me it sorta looked like it was." Fuu replied. Kairi shook her head and walked away. _"_She doesn't want my apology. That's fine with me cause I'm through with her!" Kairi shouted to no one in particular. She couldn't believe it, she was actually losing Ollette and possibly Fuu as a friend. Kairi was already feeling bad about Sora, and now girlfriend troubles? This couldn't be happening.

"Hey watch out!" Demyx shouted, but it was too late. Demyx was sprawled out onto the floor on top of Kairi. "Shit. Really sorry about that!" He said, offering his hand to help her up.

Kairi pushed it away, and walked off without saying a word to him. "Hey? what's up with you?" Demyx said, running to her side.

"Nothing." Kairi said in a harsh tone. "It's none of your business anyway."

"Well, I'm making it my business so spill." Demyx said firmly. He couldn't be pushed away that easily! If it wasn't for his stuborness, he would have given up on searching for a dance partner.

"Shouldn't you be asking out Tifa?" Kairi asked, though she didn't really care.

"She turned me down. In front of everyone." Demyx replied.

"Ouch." Kairi said, feeling sorry for him.

"Yeah, and everyone was laughing. Even the lunch lady." Demyx cringed.

Kairi smiled, "Hey, atleast you're not having any friend troubles to bring you even more down."

"Is that what's getting you down? Ollette not accepting your apology and Fuu taking her side?" Demyx asked.

"How did you know?" Kairi asked.

"I'm psychic!" Demyx said. Kairi just gave him a look in return. "I overheard you guys talking while I was running away from a group of girls chasing after me."

"Girls chasing you? that's new? Did you win them over or something?" Kairi grinned.

"I almost had them, but then I kinda..sorta injured most of them," Demyx replied. "I hit one girl in the face with my sitar by accident when I swung it around, and I fell on top of a few girls when I was running away from that girl, and then I let out some gas.."

"Ew...and I bet some of them passed out from it?" Kairi said.

"Yup. As soon as they woke up, they came after me. Don't tell the guys about this, they'll think I'm a total loser!" Demyx said, slumping his shoulders.

"My lips are sealed." Kairi said. She was starting to feel better. "Thanks for talking to me. It helped me cheer up a little, if you need help searching for a partner, I could help you out."

"Really? That'd be great, but I still have a few tricks up my sleeves. I'll come to you once I've got nothing." He smiled.

**Meanwhile**

**"**Nope. I change my mind, I like it better back there." Marluxia said.

"WHAT? you want us to move this heavy piece of shit back to it's original spot after you told us to move it to the right? That aint happening!" Hayner yelled.

"Fine. I guess you don't want my service then..." Marluxia said, turning his back on them.

"We'll do it." Riku sighed.

"Good. I'll just check on the others." Marluxia announced, heading over to the back yard where Seifer and Wakka were. "So how's my garden - OMG! what did you do!" He shrieked running over to his once flourished bed of roses and daisies that were now all just weeds.

"We got rid of the weeds, like you asked us to." Wakka replied.

Marluxia slapped his forehead. "You idiots! you picked out all the FLOWERS! my garden! my beautiful garden!" He sobbed.

Seifer shrugged and looked at Wakka, "You think he'll still give Riku a makeover?"

Marluxia looked up, with fire in his eyes. "Forget about it! I want all of you out!" He yelled.

"Hey man, you can't blame us for not knowing the difference between a flower and a weed," Seifer said defensively.

"You're right. It's all my fault." Marluxia replied. "I hired a bunch of idiots!"

"Now you're taking it too far! don't ever call us idiots!" Wakka barked.

Riku and the other boys ran to see what was up. "What happened?" Sora asked as soon as he saw the garden. Well, what was once a garden.

Marluxia turned around to face them, still angry and giving them death glares. "Woah! never mind, I don't wanna know." Sora said, hiding behind Axel.

"I want all of you out. Now." He growled.

"Fine. We don't need your help anyway." Riku snapped. He led the group out of Marluxia's house, fuming. "I should have kicked his ass when I had a chance." He muttered.

"Dude, forget about it. We still have one more person to turn to." Seifer said.

"Aww.. not Larxene! she sucks at fashion and trying to look good." Riku groaned.

Roxas shrugged. "What's the big deal? It's just a dance."

"It's not about the dance. It's about who I'm taking to the dance," Riku replied.

"Oh, the she-devil?" Roxas said earning a glare from Riku.

"Why do you hate her so much?" Riku questioned.

"I just don't like her." Roxas said simply.

"Maybe he secretly likes her," Wakka grinned, nudging Roxas.

"No. that's first grade stuff." Roxas replied. He pushed off Wakka who just continued to tease him about liking Namine.

**Meanwhile**

"HOLY SHIT!"Namine blurted out as the lady yanked out the hot wax from her eyebrows.

Selphie groaned and covered her eyes in embarassment. "Are you going to yell out curses everytime she pulls out the wax?" she asked afraid of the answer.

"I'm trying not to- HOLY MOTHER OF FUCK!" She yelled out. "But it hurts- LIKE A BITCH!"

Selphie rolled his eyes. "At least you'll be pretty after this.."

"Pretty my ass. No amount of beauty is worth going through this!" Namine exclaimed.

"Honey, if you think this is painful, wait till the bikini waxing." Selphie said.

Namine's jaw dropped. "What? NO. That is not happening!"

Selphie laughed at her expression. "Don't worry, you don't have to get it done. But when we do hit the beach, then you do have to!"

Namine groaned, "You're kidding right?"

Selphie just smiled and patted the blond on the back. "Time to do your hair!"

Namine looked at her blond locks and looked up at Selphie, "They're not gonna cut it too short, are they?" she asked wearily. Namine had never been the type of girl who worried about things like her looks, but somehow this was a different story. Besides, she was going to the dance with one of the hottest guys in school.

Namine was seated next to Selphie, who was also getting her hair done. "Who are you going with?" Namine asked.

"I haven't been asked yet. I'm waiting for Tidus though." Selphie smiled.

Namine rolled her eyes at her friend, "I doubt he'll ask you. He's got a girlfriend, remember?"

"Yeah, but they just had a fight so anything goes. Hopefully I'll get lucky and he'll break up with her." Selphie said. "By the way, what's up with Kairi and Ollette?"

"I left them to talk things out. I hope everything's cool between them," Namine said thoughtfully. "Kairi didn't mean to say yes, but with Sora being clueless and all he pushed her to say yes."

Selphie nodded understandingly. "Yeah, Lucky for them, they've been friends forever so I'm sure this won't get in the way of their friendship."

**Meanwhile**

"That backstabbing bitch! I hate her! I don't know why I was even friends with her in the first place!" Ollette screamed as she kicked a cardboard box filled with all the things that Kairi had given her.

Fuu watched as Ollette rumaged through the room, tearing up pictures of her and Kairi. "Ollette, don't you think that you're taking it too far? She did say sorry." She tried to reason.

"Sorry doesn't fix a broken heart!" Ollette pointed out. She would have forgiven Kairi if she didn't like Hayner so much, but she did.

"You'll get over him. Besides, don't you think that friendship is much more important than a guy?" Fuu asked.

"Easy for you to say, No one's ever stolen you guy!" Ollette retorted.

Fuu shrugged. That was true, no one had ever made a move on her guy. Fuu looked at her watch, it read 6:15. "You still have time to ask someone else out." She announced.

Ollette frowned at the idea but something clicked and a wide grin appeared on her face. "You're right! and I know just the person to ask!"

**Meanwhile**

"Changed my mind! that outfit does not look good on you!" Larxene announced after checking Riku up and down. He was wearing dress pants and a purple oxford with a black tie.

"Larxene! This is the fifteenth outfit you've made me try out! Make up your mind!" Riku said in aggravation. It was already 6:40, only two hours away from the dance.

"You can't rush beauty!" Larxene snapped.

"Something you don't know about.." Axel murmered.

"What was that?"Larxene growled.

"Nothing, Nothing, just carry on." Axel replied trying to look innocent. He knew better than to get on Larxene's bad side.

The guys watched as Larxene picked out suits for Riku to try on. "Man, I still haven't found a date! They better hurry up, cause I gotta get asking!" Sora said. He knew who he wanted to ask, but she was already going with a certain someone. He was still pretty pissed at Hayner, but as long as he didn't try to kiss her or anything, he'd be okay.

"Tell me about it! I haven't even had time to ask Fuu yet." Seifer replied.

"Fat chance anyone's gonna ask her. You have plenty of time!" Wakka said.

Seifer shrugged, Fuu was sort of the girl next door type. Not a lot of girls saw her like he did.

Roxas slouched in his seat, dying of boredom. "Can we hurry it up!? This place is filled with chicks!" He exclaimed.

"Yeah, I know. Great huh?" Wakka said eyeing a red head at the corner.

"No. Did you forget about my allergy?" Roxas asked.

"What allergy? Oh yeah, the girl contact thing." Wakka said in a disembodied voice.

Roxas sighed, the other guys were eyeing the girl too and he was pretty sure that Larxene and Riku would not find the perfect outfit anytime soon. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He could remember the day he had his heart broken. He spent all day writing a letter to the girl he loved. She was leaving the day after, and he had to get it perfect.

**Flashback...**

_A ten year old Roxas sat by his desk scribbling down words on a piece of paper. 'Namine's going to leave tomorrow! I have to get it right!' He thought. If only it were that easy. Letting out his true feelings weren't his strong suit. So far the letter read: _

**Dear Namine,**

**Since the day I met you, I couldn't keep my eyes off of you. I was pretty sure that-**

_Roxas crumpled up the paper and threw it in the garbage bin. "No! she's not like that! she doesn't like mushy gushy stuff!" He groaned in aggravation. Roxas grabbed another piece of paper and peered at the clock beside him. He let out another groan. It read 10:15. He was already past his bedtime and his mom would come up soon and tell him to go to sleep. But he couldn't go to sleep yet! He had a love letter to write!_

_"Roxas? What are you doing?" His mother asked him._

_"I'm writing a letter to someone." He mumbled. "She's leaving tomorrow, and I have to get it perfect!"_

_"Sweetie, you'll get it right. Just tell her everything you want her to know! who is she anyway? a teacher? a friend?" His mother asked._

_"Her name's Namine, and I really really like her. I've never talked to her before, but I know she's amazing." Roxas replied._

_His mother smiled, "You stay up as long as you need to. Just make sure that you don't stay up ALL night." _

_"Thanks mom," He smiled. Roxas turned back to his letter once his mother left and began to write down new words._

_It took him a couple of drafts to get it right, but once he was done, the new and improved letter read:_

**Dear Namine, **

_** I heard that you were moving and I'm really gonna miss you. I know we never talked but before you**_

_** go, i really need to see you. I loved you since the day I met you. Now you're leaving, and I didn't even get**_

_** a chance to say it. Meet me at the park at 6?**_

_Class began and everyone was putting their stuff away. Roxas' cubby was right next to Namine's which was perfect. He made sure that nobody was watching especially Namine, and slipped the letter into her cubby. He made sure that it was sticking out so she would find it. Roxas sat in his seat, anticipating for the meeting._

_It was lunch time and Roxas noticed that Namine wasn't around. He figured that she went to the park to see if someone was there waiting for her. Roxas left school and walked to the park, which was only five blocks away from the school. The park was empty when he got there. 'No worries. Maybe she hasn't got here yet.' he thought. He waited, and waited, and waited for her. He waited through the pouring rain and didn't leave until 9 o clock. He had gone home sick and had a broken heart. He was pretty sure that his illness would go away soon, but he wasn't sure about the heartache. He really loved her, and thanks to her he was suffering some allergy to girls. The doctor explained to it as some type of trauma reaction. Since then, Roxas swore off of love._

_"_Fuck! what does this kid eat!" Roxas heard Seifer say. He opened his eyes to find himself being lifted by his friends.

"Whoa! put me down!" Roxas yelled. "Seriously, this looks...homo."

Seifer and Riku dropped him not so gently onto the floor. "Yeah, well it was a little more embarrassing having to carry you out of the mall." Seifer muttered. They were now in the parking lot.

"Why didn't you just hit me or something?" Roxas asked.

"We did. A few times actually." Zexion replied. "You didn't react so we HAD to carry you out."

"WE? you mean me and Seifer right?" Riku said. "Man, I didn't know you were that heavy."

Roxas rolled his eyes, "Whatever. Did you find the perfect suit?"

Riku nodded. "Yeah, I gotta hand it ya' Larxene did a good job."

"People forget that I'm a girl." Larxene smiled.

"And you wonder why?" Wakka joked. Larxene slapped him in the face. Hard.

"Ouch. That's going to leave a mark." Hayner announced. "I wonder if Tidus and Yuna ever worked things out?"

**With Tidus and Yuna..**

"I didn't mean what I said! Please, let me in!" Tidus said, pounding on the door.

Yuna raised the volume on the T.V to drown him out. Yuffie and Rikku looked at each other and turned to Yuna. "Don't you think this is a little...much?" Yuffie asked.

"Nope." Yuna said harshly.

"He is trying to say sorry." Rikku pointed out.

"I don't care. He lied to me." Yuna replied. "I thought he understood my thoughts on sex."

"Baby please! I'm sorry. S-O-R-R-Y!" He shouted.

"See? he's saying sorry. Just forget about it. You two have been going out since the seventh grade. You're not seriously going to let a little arguement tear you two apart, right?" Yuffie asked.

"This isn't a LITTLE arguement. This affects our future. He might pressure me to do something I might not want to do because he can't controll himself!" Yuna snapped.

"Yuna, Tidus is a nice guy. A little weird, but nice. Besides, you've got him whipped!" Rikku said.

"Stop saying that. I don't control him!" Yuna growled.

"You do, actually." Rikku said firmly.

"What have I done that was so controlling?" Yuna asked.

"Take this for instance, you're trying to control the way he thinks. Just cause he doesn't share the same virtues as you doesn't mean that he's going to be a crappy boyfriend." Yuffie pointed out.

"He's not a crappy boyfriend. He's just being an ass right now." Yuna replied.

"Come on!" Tidus graoned. "I need your kisses to get me through the day!"

"Well you can stop whining, cause these lips are off limits!" Yuna shouted.

Tidus sighed and leaned on the door. What else could he do? he tried to bust the door open, but he wasn't strong enough.

"Tidus?" Demyx appeared next to him.

"Yeah, it's me." Tidus said, looking at his feet.

"You got locked out?" Demyx asked.

"Yeah. How'd you know?" Tidus looked at his blond friend.

"I hear things." Demyx replied. "Forget about Yuna. Why should you do the crawling, when it's clearly her fault?"

"Hm?" Tidus asked confused.

"You wouldn't have admitted all those things if she wasn't such a bossy little-" Demyx began.

"Watch it! she's still my girlfriend you know?" Tidus interuppted him.

"Yeah, ok. But if she wasn't being an over controlling robot, you wouldn't have spilled those secrets out." Demyx explained.

"You're right. Hey! how did you know that those were secrets?" Tidus asked.

"I read your diary." Demyx said quickly. "So let's find a date to make her jealous!"

"It's not a diary!" Tidus snapped. "It's a journal, and don't you ever read it again! Find dates? the only one I want to go to the dance with is Yuna."

"And you will dance with her. But you need a bait. Someone she'll get jealous of. When she see's you with another girl, she'll come crawling back to you!" Demyx grinned.

"You're a genius! Thanks a lot Demyx!" Tidus said running towards a group of girls. "I'll see If I can score some chicks over here!"

"Why does everyone think that I'm dumb?" Demyx said to himself.

**At the dance**

Riku sat in his seat, trying to look calm but he wasn't fooling anyone. He was nervous as hell. "Dude. Chill out." Pence said.

"How can I chill out? I mean, I just asked out the cutest girl in school." Riku said.

"Ahem. The SECOND cutest girl in school. Next to Selphie that is." Pence coughed.

"Whatever. What if she thinks I look like a dweeb?" Riku asked.

"In all your life, has any girl ever think that you were not....how can I put this without sounding homo?....good looking?"Pence asked.

"No." Riku replied.

"Then no worries!" Pence said. "Just calm down and wait. You're cramping my style."

Sora was also a nervous reck. He wasn't able to ask anyone to the dance just yet. All he could think about was how he'd have to suffer from watching Hayner dance with Kairi. And much to his dismay, Hayner and Kairi had just arrived. Kairi wore a blue dress that really made her look even more beautiful. Hayner wore a plain shirt with plain pants. Sora frowned. He would have dressed up for her.

"Hey guys." Hayner said. "So, where's your dates?"

"I'm waiting for Namine to get here." Riku replied.

"I got turned down by Selphie." Pence mumbled.

"I don't have one." Sora said quickly.

"What was that Sora?" Hayner asked even though he heard what he said.

"I. don't. have. one." Sora said through gritted teeth. He knew what Hayner was trying to do. He was trying to get him mad, and it was working.

"Oh. That's too bad." Hayner said. "Wanna go dance, Kairi?"

Kairi nodded. "See you later, Sora!" She said as she made her way through the dance floor.

"He better not try something on her!" Sora growled.

"Hey, it's your loss. You should have asked her while you had the chance." Seifer said sitting next to him.

"Well, where's your date?" Sora snapped.

"She's probably getting dressed up." Seifer replied.

"You didn't even ask Fuu to go with you." Sora pointed out.

"But that's just it. I don't have to ask her cause she knows I'm going to." Seifer replied. "Everyone does."

"She knows?" Pence raised an eyebrow.

"At least I think she does." Seifer muttered.

"What if she doesn't? what are you going to do about that?" Pence asked.

Seifer shrugged. "I'll find a way to make her dance with me."

"What if she comes with someone big and strong?" Sora asked.

"Then I'll pull out my blade." Seifer said as if it were obvious.

"This is upscale twilight town. Not ghetto twilight town, you can't just do that." Pence pointed out.

"For the last time, Seifer does NOT live in the ghetto part of twilight town!" Riku said. "He lives in the northern part of twilight town, with white picket fences, and white houses."

"Not so loud!" Seifer hissed.

"What? Everyone knows you're from a regular neighborhood, not some rough as nails neighborhood." Riku replied.

"Dude, you're killing my rep." Seifer said.

"What rep? you don't have one!" Riku groaned.

"Yes I do. I have a record with the police too!" Seifer retorted.

"How? the baddest thing you've ever done was take more than one candy on holloween when a sign says: PLEASE TAKE ONE BAR ONLY" Riku pointed out.

"Just shut up. You're date's here." Seifer hissed.

Riku turned around to see the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen in his life. Namine wore a red dress that stopped at her knees, and her hair was all done and looking soft. Roxas noticed the boys staring at Namine and rolled his eyes. "Jesus." He mumbled and got up to get some punch.

Riku stood up and walked towards Namine and Selphie, who was dressed in white high heels and a gold dress. "Hey Namine," He managed to say.

Selphie grinned and nudged Namine forward. "Um..Hi." Namine said shyly. She wasn't really comfortable with all the make up on.

"You look great! I like your dress." Riku commented.

"Thanks. I like your dress too!" Namine bit her lip. "I mean your suit! you look really nice." She blushed.

Riku laughed and took her hand. "Wanna dance?"

Namine nodded and followed him. Suddenly she remembered that she didn't know how to dance. "Uh..I mean, I can't!"She exclaimed.

"Hm? Why not?" Riku asked.

"I...I...I can't dance." She said sheepishly.

Riku just smiled, "So what? You're the prettiest girl in the room," Riku heard Pence shout 'next to selphie!' and rolled his eyes. "Nobody's gonna care. Besides, I'll lead you through the song."

Namine swallowed. _'What did I get myself into...'_

Roxas leaned against the wall by the snack bar watching everyone else having fun. "They're cute together, huh?" Yuffie popped up.

"Who?" Roxas asked.

Yuffie rolled her eyes. "As if you didn't know! Riku and Namine duh!"

"Them? you've gotta be kidding me. Riku's making a big mistake dancing with that chick. He's making an even bigger mistake for liking her. Trust me, I would know." He mumbled. Yuffie just looked at him. She didn't know what he was talking about. None of his friends knew, even Zexion who was always on top of things.

"C'mon, let's dance!" Yuffie said, grabbing his arm.

"Yuffie!" Roxas exclaimed, yanking his arm away from her. "Did you forget about my allergy!?"

"Oh, right. Well, we can dance an arms length away right?" Yuffie smiled.

Roxas grunted, but followed her into the crowd of dancers anyway. He didn't know why he was doing this, but it beat doing nothing. "You got Roxas to dance!?" Axel exclaimed.

Yuffie nodded. "Yup, I have skillz!" Axel rolled his eyes and looked at Roxas, "Man, I lost twenty bucks thanks to you."

"Suck it up." Roxas grinned.

Sora watched Roxas dance with Yuffie. It wasn't fair that he was stuck here dying of boredom while everyone else was having fun. He didn't even want to look at Kairi and Hayner right now. If he did, he was pretty sure that he would go on a killing spree from seeing them together. "Sora?" A soft voice called. Sora looked up to find Ollette, dressed in red high heels and a black dress. "Hi." Sora said, trying to smile. "I see you don't have a partner.." She said. Sora just nodded. "I don't have one either. Do you want to be my dance partner?" She asked shyly. Sora hesitated before answering. He liked Ollette as a friend, but what would Kairi say if she saw the two of them? He waved that thought off, she probably wouldn't care. "Yeah, sure." Sora smiled getting up to take her hand.

"Alright Sora!" His friends cheered.

Kairi heard the comotion and turned to see Ollette dancing with Sora. A pang of jealousy hit her along with rage. "Come on, Hayner let's get closer to the middle." Kairi said, pulling him closer to where Ollette and Sora were dancing. She could hear the two laughing, making her even more angry. "Oh Hayner!" She said loudly enough for them to hear her. "You're so funny! hahaha ha!" Hayner just looked at her as if she was on drugs or something. "Uh... I didn't say anything.." He said. Kairi stomped on his foot, forcing him to pretend to laugh too.

Ollette turned to see Kairi holding Hayner's hand and laughing with him. "Sora, stop it! stop telling me that I'm so pretty and that I'm the prettiest girl in the whole room!" She giggled. Sora shot her a look.

"What are you doing?" He hissed.

"Nothing." She smiled, and pulled in closer to him. Sora was starting to feel uncomfortable, but he didn't want to pull away from her because he knew she would get her feelings hurt.

Kairi watched and frowned. "Hayner, you're so sweet. Yeah, I'd like to grab some coffee with you sometime later." She smiled.

"What are you talking about!?" Hayner said confused. "I didn't say anything about coffee!"

"Stop it, you're making my sides hurt!" Kairi let out a fake laugh. Hayner shifted uncomfortably and smiled.

At this point, Ollette couldn't take it anymore. She let go of Sora and walked up to Kairi. "What the hell do you think you're doing!?" She snapped.

"Dancing with my partner." Kairi said icily.

Ollette scowled at Kairi and grabbed her by the arm. Kairi was surprised by her strength, Ollette always seemed so gentle to her. The two were by the snack bar, facing each other. "What do you want?" Kairi asked is an icy tone.

"I want you to lay off my man! you know I liked him and you backstabbed me!" Ollette hissed.

"I didn't mean to hurt you!" Kairi said. "I didn't know what I was doing, I was so mad at.."

"Save it." Ollette said, holding her hand up. "It's always Sora, Sora, Sora! Just because you don't have the guts to tell him how you feel doesn't mean you get to steal the guy you're best friend's been crushing on since forever!" She snapped.

"What best friend?" Kairi snapped back.

"Hey girls!" Demyx stepped in.

"Go Away!" Kairi snapped.

"I just came here to get some food" Demyx said holding his hands up.

"I said Leave!" Kairi screamed.

"Don't have to tell me twice." Demyx muttered under his breath. He walked back to his group of friends who were hanging by the corner.

"What's up with you?" Larxene asked.

"I just got yelled at by Kairi." Demyx replied.

"Was it bad?" Zexion asked.

"She was pretty pissed at something. It's probably that time of year again." Demyx grinned.

Larxene rolled her eyes, "So where's Namine? The girl you were talking about earlier?"

"Over there!" Demyx said, pointing to where Riku and Namine where dancing.

Larxene got up to meet her, but was interrupted by Rikku. "Guess who's here!?" She whispered.

"Him?" Larxene said nervously.

"Yup! C'mon, he's looking hot!" Rikku gushed, taking her arm and dragging her away from the group.

"So much for meeting her." Axel muttered.

"Did you see Namine?" Fuu asked.

Seifer looked up from his drink. "Hm? Yeah, she's over there." He pointed. "About the dance, you wanna.."

"Thanks, bye!" Fuu said quickly, and rushed towards Namine.

Pence bit his lip to stop himself from laughing. "Guess you're not going to get off of that seat any time soon!"

"Shut up! At least I didn't get rejected!" Seifer hissed.

Namine and Riku were dancing a slow dance when Fuu interrupted them. "Namine! Thank god, I have to talk to you!" She said.

Namine looked at Fuu and then back at Riku. Right now she felt like bitch slapping Fuu for barging in on them. "Yeah, what is it?"

"It's about Ollette and Kairi!" Fuu whispered. Namine looked at Riku, who nodded understandingly. Namine allowed herself to be yanked across the dance floor to the snack bar area where Kairi and Ollette were pulling each other's hair and throwing food at each other.

"Take it back!" Kairi shouted, shoving cake in Ollette's face.

"Not until you take what YOU said back!" Ollette yelled, splashing the punch all over Kairi.

"Hold it!" Namine shouted, coming in between the two. Fuu grabbed on to Ollette while Selphie rushed over from the dance floor to grab on to Kairi, who was trying to claw her way out. "You guys are acting like barbarians!"

Kairi and Ollette looked away from each other. "She started it." Kairi mumbled. Ollette just glared at her, and then looked away. Namine sighed. It was her first day, and already it was filled with Drama. "Ollette, she didn't mean to hurt you. Sora just made her do it!" Namine explained.

"So you're taking her side?" Ollette sobbed.

"No!" Namine said rushing to give her a tissue.

"I thought you were on my side!" Kairi cried.

"I'm not choosing sides!" Namine groaned. "You two have to work it out. You've been best friends forever!"

"Not until she apologizes." Kairi hissed.

"Me? what did I do?" Ollette snapped.

"You had to go and get back at me by dancing with Sora! I said sorry, didn't I?" Kairi replied.

Ollette fell silent for a moment. "Yeah, well you didn't have to bring me even more down by flirting with Hayner."

"You both were wrong. Face it!" Fuu sighed. "Just go back to being friends."

Kairi looked at Ollette. "I'm...I..I can't do it." Kairi said.

"See, you don't really mean half the things you say." Ollette said softly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kairi asked.

"Remember the time you and Riku were going out? you told him you loved him, but you didn't. That makes you a.." Ollette was unable to finish her sentence. Kairi came flying at her, yanking her hair.

"You're a horrible friend!" Kairi cried.

"You're a worse friend!" Ollette retorted, pushing her off her. Namine stepped in the middle once more to make them stop, only this time the two didn't. Namine found herself sprawled onto the snack bar table, with salad dressing all over her dress and cake all over her face.

"Namine!" Selphie cried, helping her up.

Fuu blocked Namine from others. "Nothing to see here." She said. Everyone had pulled out their camera's and cell phone to take a picture and there were so few cell phones and camera's Fuu could block. Ollette and Kairi stood in horror. Neither of them could believe what they did. "Oh my god." Kairi said. "I'm so sorry." She said placing a hand over Namine's back.

"I'm fine. I'm okay. I..I just have to..." Namine fled from the dance and rushed outside as fast as she could. _'It's happening all over again!'_ She thought, _'I'm the laughing stock of this school!'_

She hid in the bathroom stalls, like in the movies where the girl gets embarrassed by the whole school and she hides somewhere where "no one will find her". The bathroom was empty, which was perfect. She sobbed, and wished that today never happend. The day had started out great, why did everything always turn out horrible for her? she wondered. Namine heard the door swing open, and she sucked in her breath, hoping that nobody knew she was here.

"I know you're here, so just come out." A voice said. But it wasn't just any voice, it was a guys voice.

"Riku? is that you?" Namine said sheepishly.

There was no answer. Namine figured that he was trying to get her to come out by not answering. She opened the door and cleared the cake from her face so she could see. "Rik-Roxas?" She was surprised to find him here. "What do you want? did you come here to snap pictures of me?"

Roxas shook his head. "I left my cell in my room." He shifted in his shoes, uncomfortably and let out a breath. "Here, You should clean yourself up." He said handing her a towel.

Namine hesitated before accepting the towel. She wiped herself clean and forced herself not to cry. Why was he being so nice to her? "Is this what you came here to do?" She asked.

"Yeah..I wanted to...see if you were..okay." He said looking away.

"Well I'm fine. Here you go." Namine handed him the towel and accidently brushed his bare wrist.

"Shit." He muttered.

"What?" Namine asked.

"You touched me." Roxas said.

"Relax, I don't have cooties." Namine said mockingly.

"No. I'm allergic to girls. You touched me and now I'm going to break out with a hideous rash." Roxas groaned.

Namine laughed. "At least now I won't be the only thing people are going to laugh at."

Roxas frowned at her, fighting back a smile. It didn't work he ended up smiling at what she said, despite himself. "Yeah, I could just see everyone gathering around me with a pitchfork yelling 'Monster!'"

"Well, you're not a monster. Ugly, yes. But not a monster." Namine said.

"Gee, thanks." He said rolling his eyes.

"What time do you think they'll be gone?" Namine asked.

"In thirty minutes." He replied.

"I can't wait for thirty minutes!" Namine exclaimed.

"Me either. Not with you next me!" Roxas grinned.

"Watch it or I'll give you more rashes!" Namine teased.

Roxas jumped back when she reached her hand out to him. "You're going to kill me before everybody leaves!" He said, dodging Namine. Roxas looked up to see a window that was just big enough for them to slide out off. "Hey, you wanna go home?"

"Duh." Namine replied.

"Look over there," He pointed to the old window. "We can shimmy it and get out from there."

"Good idea, except we're too short to reach it." Namine pointed out.

"I got that covered. Get down on fours and give me a lift." Roxas replied.

"What? no!" Namine exclaimed.

"Kidding. Here, I'll give you a lift." Roxas said stepping closer to her.

"What about your allergy?" Namine asked.

"I already broke out in rashes. It doesn't matter if I get more rashes on my face," He said shrugging.

"O-okay. Just don't drop me." Namine said. Roxas let out a fake grunt as he picked her up. "Shut up! I'm not that heavy!" She said, slapping him in face playfully. Once she reached the top, she was able to pop the window open. "What do I do now?" She asked. "Go home." Roxas replied.

Namine crawled through the window slowly so she wouldn't tear her dress. She looked back at Roxas who was still down there. "What about you?" she asked.

"I'll wait the thrity minutes. I just wanted to get rid of you." Roxas replied.

Namine rolled her eyes. "Come here. I'll pull you out." She held out her long, skinny arms.

"You're kidding right?" Roxas said as soon as he saw them.

"Nope. Now jump and I'll yank you out." Namine commanded.

Roxas hesitated. He didn't want to be stuck here, but he didn't want to hurt Namine either. Roxas sprang up and held on to Namine, who tried her hardest to pull him up. Roxas helped take off some weight for Namine by climbing up the wall.

"Damn. I think you bruised me." Namine said.

"Told ya that was going to happen." Roxas replied.

"No you didn't!" Namine shoved him.

"I hinted it." Roxas said.

Namine rolled her eyes. Without even realizing it, the two were side by side, walking back home. They were getting a long and they didn't even know it. "Well, that was nice...for a change." Namine said awkwardly.

Roxas nodded. "Yeah, I guess. But after today, things go back to normal."

"Normal? as in you hating me?" Namine didn't know why it bothered her to think that Roxas despised her.

"I don't hate you. I just like having fun with you." That was a lie, Roxas knew, but she didn't have to know. Before this, Roxas would have gone through the whole year disliking her and holding a grudge on her, but now he could forgive her and maybe even like her as a friend.

Namine smiled. "Deal." She waved good bye and ran up the stairs to go to her room.

Roxas didn't know what it was, but when he saw that smile appear on her face, he felt rockets lift off in his stomach. It was a strange feeling, but it was also a familiar one.

**That's where I'll leave it to until the next chapter! thanks so much for the reviews =) Stay tuned for the next chapter!**


	5. He Could Be The One

Chapter Five

"RING RING RING!" Namine groaned at the sound and shut the clock off. It was now her second day of school, and she was afraid of what today would bring. She forced herself to get dressed and clean up. Namine hadn't seen Ollette or Fuu, she figured that they had gotten up earlier and left her. She wasn't mad at them, but she was afraid that they wouldn't accept her into their group anymore. But that wasn't the only thing bothering her, it was what Roxas had said. By normal, he meant back to the way they used to fight. Namine wasn't so sure that she wanted that. Spending some time with him had been great and she really wanted to be his friend, why didn't he?

After slipping on some jeans and a white tank top and an old pair of sneakers, Namine headed down to the cafeteria to get some breakfast. The halls were empty, which was odd. Usually people were up and moving by this time. Namine wondered where they were and hoped that the cafeteria wasn't packed. She stopped by the doors of the cafeteria and let out a deep breath. "You can do this." She said to herself as she opened the door.

"SURPRISE!" Namine looked at the cafeteria to find just about everyone from the dance yelling surprise. Namine was so overwhelmed she couldn't move so Hayner had to drag her to the center.

"Wow. It's not even my funeral, but okay." She said, looking at the big bright sign that read 'WE'RE SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS. MAY HE REST IN PEACE'

"We were hoping that you wouldn't notice it," Hayner said looking at his feet, which were bruised from Kairi stomping on it last night. "Demyx was an idiot and couldn't find a banner that just said 'WE'RE SORRY'." He explained.

Namine nodded. "Thanks you guys." She smiled. "Did you all think of this?"

"It was Ollette and Kairi's idea." Selphie replied. "They felt bad for what they did last night."

"So are you two cool now?" Namine asked.

"Yup!" the two said in unision.

"I can't believe we acted that way." Ollette said. "I feel so ashamed!"

"Who knew you two could be that violent." Demyx commented.

"You had a rough first day, and we wanted you to feel like you belonged." Kairi explained. "So what better than a party right?"

Namine smiled. "What about classes?"

"We're all skipping." Axel replied.

"What? you never said that!?" Zexion cried.

"Shut up, dork. You should be happy, we're missing Vexen's test." Axel pointed out.

"Do you know what that could do to my grades? It'll ruin me!" Zexion exclaimed.

"Boo-hoo, I missed one stupid test and now I'm not going to get into harvard!" Rikku said mockingly.

Zexion opened his mouth to speak, but Riku cut him off. "It's Namine's party. We have to pay attention to her!"

"Right." Zexion nodded. "So what does one do at a party?"

"You'll have to excuse him. He's never been invited to a party in his entire life." Wakka whispered.

"You dance, eat, have fun, and play games!" Yuffie replied.

"Games? like video games?" Zexion asked.

"No. More like, spin the bottle and seven minutes in heaven." Rikku said.

"And don't forget pin the tail on the donkey!" Demyx added.

Yuna rolled her eyes. "Only instead of the donkey, it's pin the tail on the DEMYX" She joked.

"Why do I always have to be the target? it's not fun getting something pinned to your ass." He muttered.

"It's tradition." Yuna grinned.

"So what's up with you and Tidus?" Pence asked, noticing that Tidus and Yuna were far apart.

Yuna looked away. "We're taking a break from each other."

"YES!" Selphie said, pumping her fist. Yuna and Tidus looked at her. "I found a penny on the floor!" She added quickly.

Kairi rolled her eyes. "Whatever, let's get the party started! who brought the music?"

"I brought my guitar!" Demyx replied.

"You're not planning on playing it, are you?" Axel asked.

"Don't listen to him. You're an awesome guitarist!" Rikku smiled encouragingly.

"Yeah, I know. They'll be sorry once I get famous and live in the playboy mansion." Demyx replied.

"In your dreams." Seifer said. "I brought some real music, all the hits like Eminem, 50 cent, T-Pain..." He drabbled on.

"Do you have any songs that AREN'T rap? don't you have any Jesse McCartney?" Ollette asked.

"No. I don't listen to girl music." Seifer replied.

"But you listen to ABBA?" Axel grinned.

"ABBA'S Dancing Queen is a classic." Seifer murmmered.

"I brought some mixes," Sora stepped up. "There's some rap in it, some rock, just about everything."

Kairi smiled and took it. "Who want's to be the DJ?" she asked.

Axel stepped up. "If it means that I don't have to dance."

"No! Axel, you have to dance!" Yuffie cried.

"I don't HAVE to do anything." Axel retorted.

"C'mon it'll be fun! I'll be your dance partner!" Yuffie offered.

"Another reason why I don't want to dance." Axel muttered.

"Forget it. Once Axel makes up his mind, there's no changing it." Pence told Yuffie. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get some breakfast over there." He pointed to the buffet table.

"Eating again? I told you we should have ordered more food. Pence is going to polish the whole table before any of us get to eat." Seifer said.

"Are you trying to imply something?" Pence hissed.

"Yeah, I'm telling you that you need to lay off the chicken." Seifer said, patting his stomach.

"I'm NOT fat, I'm big boned!" Pence said through gritted teeth. "God! why can't anyone see that!?"

"The same reason why you can't see your toes." Seifer muttered.

"Haha, very funny." Pence said rolling his eyes.

Riku turned to Namine who was chatting with a couple of girls in her biology class. He tapped her shoulder to get her attention. "We never got to finish our dance, you know." He said.

"That's right." Namine said shyly. She couldn't believe that he'd still want her to dance with him. It made her feel all giddy inside.

"You wanna finish it?" Riku asked, holding his hand out.

"Of course." Namine smiled and took his hand.

Roxas watched the two from a distance. He didn't know why he felt envious when he saw them together.

"What are you looking at?" Yuffie asked.

Roxas jumped, "Yuffie. Stop. Doing. That!"

"Doing what?" Yuffie said innocently.

"You know what I mean." Roxas replied.

"We're going to play spin the bottle, want to join?" She asked.

Roxas just looked at her. "I can't."

"Fine. You wanna watch?" Yuffie asked.

"Yeah sure." Roxas nodded. It was better watching others kiss than see Namine with Riku.

The two walked towards the circle and sat down. "Roxas, you're playing?" Hayner asked.

"No. I'm just here to watch." He replied.

"Oh. Well that's no fun." Hayner frowned.

"Sure it is. I'll get to see you make out with someone you don't want to kiss." Roxas grinned.

Hayner rolled his eyes. "Fat chance. The circle is filled with hot girls."

"Really?" Roxas said pointing to Payne with his eyes. It wasn't that she was ugly or unattractive. It was just that she was a wet and sloppy kisser, and that put off a lot of people.

Hayner cringed, but waved it off. "She's an exception."

"If you two are done flirting, can we begin?" Wakka asked.

"Go ahead." Roxas said.

"I'll go first!" Selphie exclaimed, taking the bottle and giving it a spin. "Who's the hunk I'll be kissing?"She said as it spun. "It's.....Pence!? NO. Hell. No!" She cried.

"Come over here baby!" Pence said crawling to her. "My lips are all yours." He said, puckering his lips.

"Get your fat lip away from me!" Selphie said, pushing him away.

"You gotta do it, Selph." Seifer grinned.

"No I don't. Can I do a re-spin?" She asked.

"Nope." Zexion said.

Selphie glared. "Please! I can't kiss this...this TOAD!" she whined.

"You never know, I just might turn into a prince if you kiss me." Pence winked.

Selphie gagged. "Come on you guys!"

"Come on, Selphie. It's just a game." Tidus said. "Besides it doesn't have to be longer than five seconds."

"Well...okay." Selphie said. She couldn't believe what she was actually doing right now. Was she actually going to kiss Pence?

"Come to papa!" He smiled.

"Shut up, or I might change my mind!" She hissed. Selphie pulled in closer, and mustered all her strength put her lips on his. "There! Five seconds." She said, wiping her mouth.

Pence smiled. "I can now die a happy man."

Axel rolled his eyes. "Just spin it."

Pence took the bottle and gave it a spin. At this point, he really didn't care who it landed on. The bottle pointed to....Seifer.

"Dude. No." Seifer said shaking his head.

"Dude, yeah." Roxas said, laughing.

"No kissing the same sex!" Pence cried. "And besides, I would never ever kiss the likes of him!"

"Until now." Larxene replied.

Pence looked at Seifer, who was giving him death glares. "Kiss me, and I'll cut you up!" He mouthed. Pence gulped.

"I can't do this. I don't swing that way, you guys!" Pence exclaimed.

"Just do it!" Tidus laughed. "I have to get this on video!"

"Me too!" Wakka, said pulling his cell phone out.

"We don't have all day, ya know!" Rikku sang.

Pence bit his lip and walked up to Seifer reluctantly. Seifer crossed his arms, and looked away. "I'm not doing it."

"I think your man's gay!" Selphie whispered to Fuu.

"He's not gay! he doesn't want to kiss Pence!" Fuu whispered back.

"Mhmm.. That's what he wants everyone to think!" Selphie smiled. Fuu just rolled her eyes.

"What's the matter Seif? you chicken?" Larxene grinned.

"I'm not chicken. I just don't kiss the same sex." Seifer hissed.

"So? girls kiss girls all the time but that doesn't make them lesbian. Do it!" Tidus chanted. Pretty soon, the whole circle was chanting 'do it!'

Seifer gave in to the peer pressure and rolled his eyes. "You go for an open mouth kiss and you're dead!" He told Pence.

The kiss happened so fast. You would have missed it if you blinked. "What? that was so fast! I didn't even get it on video!" Wakka complained.

"Tough luck." Seifer said, spitting and wiping his lips. "It's my turn to spin." He took the bottle from Pence and spinned it. The bottle had landed on Larxene. "Come on! I have to kiss another guy!?" He exclaimed.

"Shut up." Larxene said, punching him in the shoulder. She reached in and kissed him on the lips.

"How was that?" Larxene asked. "Do I kiss like a guy?"

Seifer glared. "No. You kiss like a dog."

Larxene rolled her eyes and took the bottle from him. "Let's see who I get to kiss!" She gave it a quick spin. The bottle landed on Zexion.

"Come here, dork!" She said waving him over. "Let's get this over with."

Zexion gulped. He had never kissed a girl before and he was hoping that his first kiss would be with someone that wasn't Larxene. Nevertheless, he walked over pulled in for the kiss.

"You kiss worse than Seifer!" She commented.

"He's a begginer." Seifer said rolling his eyes.

"And I guess you're one too?" She smiled.

"Very funny. I've actually kissed a lot of girls." Seifer replied.

"Sure." Larxene said, rolling her eyes. She handed the bottle to Zexion, who was still in a daze from the kiss. He took the bottle from her and spun it.

"Um..Wow." Yuna said, when the bottle landed on her. She bit her lip and looked at Tidus, who was talking to Wakka.

"I think I should have a re-spin." Zexion said.

"No execeptions!" Sora said.

Yuna walked over to Zexion, nervously. "Here we go." She said placing her lips on his. It was quick, but enough to drive Tidus insane. She took the bottle from his hands and spun the bottle. To her dismay, it landed on Tidus.

The two looked at each other. Yuna opened her mouth to speak, but Demyx jumped in. "I brought rock band and my T.V. set, who wants to play?"

"Ohh! I do!" Rikku jumped up excitedly.

"Let's go ask if Namine and Riku want to play." Yuna said, relieved.

"Where are they, anyway?" Ollette asked.

**Outside**...

"Wow. This is beautiful." Namine said. The two had left the party awhile ago, it was too noisy. Riku had taken her to the garden. It was a secret place, not a lot of people knew about it.

"Yeah, Nobody goes here. Except for me, when I'm feeling down." Riku said.

"Is this your special place or something?" She asked.

"Yeah. It's nice and quiet and away from everybody else." He answered.

Namine nodded, inspecting the flowers. The flowers were like nothing she'd ever seen. They were bright colors and smelled sweet.

"Do you like the place?" Riku asked.

"Like it? I love it!" Namine replied. She ran across the fields, feeling free. This was the first time she had ever felt that way. Back home, she was always being pressured by her parents. She felt like a caged bird but today, it was like they forget to lock the cage and she was able to break free.

Riku smiled, and chased after her. He too loved this place but for a different reason. It wasn't so much the beauty, but because of the mysteries of it. Riku caught up to Namine and tackled her softly to the ground.

"What did you do that for?" She giggled.

"I wanted to talk to you." He grinned.

"You could have just called me." She smiled.

"But you wouldn't have stopped." Riku pointed out.

"True. So what is it?" She said looking at him. The two were laying in the grass, side by side.

"I've only known you for a day and a half, and already I feel so close to you." He breathed.

"I feel close to you too." Namine answered. She wondered where he was going with this.

"Not like the others. When I'm around you, I feel like I can be myself. Like I don't have to keep acting cool and aloof all the time." He said.

"Why's that?" She asked.

"I don't know. That's what I've been trying to figure out." He said. "I really like being with you. I feel so loose around you, and I like that feeling."

"I feel good around you too." Namine smiled.

The two stared into each others eyes. Namine could feel the butterflies in her stomach again. Right now, she was wishing that the moment would never end.

"I want to show you something." Riku said, breaking the trance.

Namine got up to follow him. She hoped it was somewhere just as beautiful as this place. She followed him into the forest. They were walking further and further, and it was scaring her a little. What if they got lost?

"Don't worry." Riku said, sensing that she was feeling scared. "I know the forest like the back of my hand." The two stopped in front of a cave. It was dark and covered by moss.

"Are we going to go inside?" Namine said shakily.

"Yeah, you're not scared are you?" Riku asked. "We don't have to go inside if you don't want to."

Namine shook her head. "No. I'll get over it. Besides, you'll be right by my side." She smiled.

Riku smiled back and took her hand. He led her in through the dark caves. Namine could hear water flowing and nothing else. "Careful. It get's slippery from here." Riku said, guiding her through the wet path.

"Where are we going?" Namine asked.

"You'll see." Riku said with a smile. As they walked further into the caves, she could see light. She figured that they were getting closer to their destination.

"How'd you find out about this place?" Namine asked.

"I sorta ran away from campus a couple years back and wound up in the garden. I just wandered endlessly and found this place." He answered.

"Weren't you scared?" Namine asked. She knew that she would be scared if she were this far away from campus.

"Nope. Don't ask me why, cause I don't know either. All I was thinking was that, I had to find out where it led to." Riku said. More light was seen as they drew in deeper.

"And you haven't shown your friends this place?" Namine inquired.

"No, they aren't into this kind of stuff." Riku replied.

"Nature, you mean." She said.

"Yeah. They would be begging to go back before we even got to the destination." Riku grinned. The stopped in front of a cliff over looking a small waterfall.

Namine held her breath. It was so beautiful, she felt like she was on top of the world! "Wow." She said.

Riku began taking off his shirt and pants, revealing a lean, muscular body. Namine blushed and looked away.

"Watch this." Riku said with a grin. He took a few steps back, and began running. He sprang up and did a flip before diving into the water.

Namine let out a small yelp when she saw this. She peered down, hoping that he didn't hit any rocks. Nope. He was safe and smiling. "Your turn!" He yelled.

Namine gulped. She was scared of heights, but being around him gave her the courage to take the risk. She pulled her shirt and pants off nervously. _'Namine, you just bought yourself on the crazy train'_ She sucked in a mouthful of air and did the same as Riku. She took five steps back, and began to run. She leaped into the air and let herself fall into the water. Cold, refreshing water surrounded her. She felt so alive and happy. She swam to the surface to see Riku smiling at her.

**Back at the party**

"I want a rematch!" Axel growled.

"Don't be a sore loser." Demyx smiled. "I won fair and square! now who else wants a piece of the champion!?"

Fuu and Selphie groaned. There were only so much video games the two could take. "Can we do something else now? I mean, Demyx keeps winning. It's no fun anymore." Fuu stated.

"Well what else do you want to do?" Demyx asked.

"How bout we play a little prank on Vexen?" Roxas said. He'd been dying to get back at him for ratting him out to the principle for skating on the rails on school property.

"I'm in." Hayner said.

"Me too." Tidus said. "He's such an asshole. I can't believe he failed me last year!"

"Aww..don't say that. Vexen's just grouchy that's all. You can't really blame him." Demyx said.

"Demyx, he failed you too." Tidus pointed out.

"Only because he wanted to keep me in his class again." Demyx replied. "Duh."

Everyone rolled their eyes at him. Vexen despised Demyx. The word Hate didn't even explain how much Vexen disliked Demyx.

"I don't know guys, we might suspended. Worse, we might get expelled!" Zexion cried.

"Just as long as we don't get caught, we'll be fine." Axel said.

"Count me out." Larxene said. "I'm not risking detention"

"Chicken." Seifer grumbled.

"Go ahead and call me a chicken but whatever you guys are planning to do, it'll never work." Larxene said.

"I'm with Larxene on this one." Kairi said. "Pranks aren't my thing. Especially on teachers."

"I'm in." Selphie said with a shrug.

"You can't be serious." Ollette said.

"But I am. Tell me all about the party when I get back!" Selphie said following the guys out.

"Well Zex, I guess it's just you and me. Want to play more rockband?" Demyx asked.

"On second thought, I think I'll join the others." Zexion said. He felt as though he would die if he played rockband again.

Demyx shrugged. "What do you girls wanna-oh no..." The look in their eyes said what they wanted to do.

**Outside**

The two had dried up and had their clothes on again. "That was fun." Namine smiled. "I wish we could do this all the time."

"I know. Maybe weekends we could do this stuff. That is, if we aren't busy with anything." Riku replied.

"I'd like that." Namine smiled.

"So it's a date. Every saturday and sunday we'll come here." Riku said.

Did he just say date? Namine felt herself blush. "Um..I think we should head back. The guys might miss us."

Riku nodded. "Yeah, you're right." He said holding his hand for her to take.

Namine couldn't help but feel blown away by him. She had never met a guy like him before. Could she really be falling for him? She knew that she hadn't known him long, but the days they've spent together made her feel as though she's known him forever. There was something something special about him.

**In the halls**

"I can't believe I'm actually doing this." Zexion groaned.

"Shh! you'll get us caught!" Roxas hissed.

Zexion mumbled something and continued to crawl through the vent. Roxas had with him a pail of old, clumpy, sour milk. Zexion whimpered at the smell, but kept going on. "Why me? why didn't you get Sora to go with you?" He asked.

"Because Sora's destracting our target." Roxas replied.

"Why couldn't I do that?" Zexion complained.

"Because you'll blow it with your stupid guilt." Roxas pointed out.

Zexion couldn't argue with that. He was horrible at keeping secrets. Zexion paused to answer his phone. He got a text from Seifer saying: COOD U HURY IT UP? MY LEGG IZ FALING AZLEEP AND ITZ GETING RLLY BOARING WEIGHTING HEAR 4 U GUYS 2 DO IT!

"Damn. He needs to learn his english badly." Zexion mumbled.

"What did he say?" Roxas asked.

"He said to hurry up." Zexion replied.

Roxas rolled his eyes. Seifer was gaurding the door. They told him that he should be gaurd because he was tough and menacing, but the truth was that they needed him to stay as far away from Vexen so he wouldn't spill the whole plan to him by accident. Seifer's big mouth was the whole reason why many of their plans backfired.

Pence, Axel, and Selphie hid in Vexen's office to watch over Sora to make sure that he didn't get stuck.

"Great first day yesterday, right?" Sora said nervously.

"I suppose. Why weren't you in class this morning. Come to think of it, why wasn't anybody?" Vexen asked.

"Um..." Sora began. "We all overslept from the dance last night."

Vexen nodded. "If you excuse me, I think I'm going to grab some lunch."

"NO!" Sora said, blocking his path.

"Excuse me?" Vexen frowned.

"Uh.."Sora was at loss for words. He looked to his side to find Selphie mouthing "the lunch lady is serving beans and meatloaf."

"the lunch for today is beans and meatloaf?" Sora replied.

"In that case, I'll skip lunch for the day." Vexen said, sitting back down. "What brings you here? Normally students don't like to visit me."

"I think you're....you're great! a fabulous teacher!" Sora lied.

Vexen raised an eyebrow. "I know what you're trying to do. Believe me, it's not going to happen."

"What!?" Sora said in a panicky voice. "You..You know?"

"Of course I do. What do you take me for? a nit wit?" Vexen asked. "Kissing up to me, isn't going to make me treat you better."

Sora sighed in relief. "You got me there! What was I thinking trying to pull something on a genius like you!"

Axel rolled his eyes. Sora looked at him for some help when Vexen asked, "Why aren't you with your group of hoodlums?"

Axel mouthed "Because they're all too tired from the dance to go downstairs. Especially Axel, who was the life of the party! All the girls were hitting on him, but he turned them all down."

"They're too tired and lazy to go down." Sora said leaving out the last part.

Out of nowhere, Sora heard the worst immitation of a bee. "Bzz! Bzz!"

"What was that?" Roxas hissed at Zexion.

"My bee impersonation." He replied.

"It sucks." Roxas said.

"Whatever, get the milk ready." Zexion ordered.

"My god, what is that? I've never heard anything like it!" Vexen cried, searching the room for a bug.

"It's a bee! Quick, stand over here!" Sora said pulling him under the vent.

"3....2....1...." Roxas counted.

"Why this spo-" Vexen was interrupted by sour milk splashing all over him. "My lord!" He cried.

Axel broke out in laughter and was rolling on the floor. Seifer, Wakka and Tidus were at the doorway, pointing and laughing, Selphie and Pence were laughing hysterically. "I knew it! Detention all of you!" Vexen snarled.

At this point the group didn't even care. They had pulled a good one on Vexen, and that was all that mattered.

"And don't think that I forgot about you two!" He addressed Zexion and Roxas.

"Darn!" Zexion groaned. "See what you get me into?" He hissed at Roxas.

"Relax. This was so worth it!" Roxas said, still laughing. "Too bad I didn't get it on video!"

"Yeah, it was a good one. But that still doesn't change the fact that we now have detention!" Zexion snapped.

**In the cafeteria**

"Demyx, you look so pretty!" Ollette stifled a laughter.

"Haha, verry funny." Demyx said. He had red lipstick on, black eyeliner, eyeshadow, and blush on. His hair was flat ironed so that it was long and straight and made him look more like a girl. Well, a drag queen. Demyx was also dressed in a pink fluffly dress that clung too tight to his chest. He had tried to run away from them, but Larxene pummeled him to the ground when he tried.

"And here to finish off your look!" Kairi giggled, placing a bow on his head.

"Don't forget about the shoes!" Rikku added. She handed Demyx two white high heels that were too small for him.

Demyx glared at her, but sighed. What was the point in fighting back? He was already dressed in drag. He took the shoes and crammed his too large feet into them. "Happy?" He asked.

"Yup." Payne said. "Best party ever." She said snapping pictures of him.

"You guys, we got Vexen! it was so -" Axel stopped and looked at Demyx and laughed. "Oh my god! this is funnier than what we did to Vexen!"

The group laughed along too. "What did they do to you?" Sora said through laughter.

"They pinned me down and girlified me!" Demyx cried. "Stop laughing. It's not funny!"

"Yeah, it is!" Seifer grinned.

"I'm going to the bathroom to wash this stuff off!" Demyx muttered.

Namine and Riku walked in, hand in hand. The group turned to look at them. Everyone was grinning and smiling at the two. Sora gave Riku a thumbs up. Roxas on the other hand, frowned. Jealousy was eating at him, and he couldn't take it. _'Cool it Roxas. You shouldn't be feeling this way.'_ He said to himself.

"Demyx, is that you!?" Namine cried.

"Yes. It's me." Demyx replied.

"Wow." was all Riku could say.

Demyx struggled to walk in the shoes. Not only was he not used to the height, but it was also too small for his feet. They were pinching him and he was constantly tripping over himself. The dress wasn't helping either. It was hugging him too tight. Before he opened the door to leave, he turned around and placed his hands on his hips. "You may have taken away my masculinity, but you haven't taken away my dignity!"

"Nice speech, beauty queen." Seifer laughed.

Demyx rolled his eyes and turned to leave. Just as he was about to, the door swung open and a still soaking wet Vexen appeared. "I know what you all did! as a result of this, there will be no more dances!" The crowd groaned and whined at this. Vexen turned to Demyx and looked him up and down. "Hello there beautiful. Where have you been all my life?" He purred. Demyx felt himself gagged. He turned to the group and mouthed "help me!"

"Her name's Demetria. She's the new home ec teacher. Why don't you show her around?" Axel said, grinning sadistically at Demyx.

"Of course. It would be a pleasure, and an honor to give this beautiful woman a tour of the school." Vexen said, grabbing Demyx's hand and kissing his hand.

Namine and Riku watched as Demyx was being whisked away by Vexen. The two were still holding hands. Namine turned to look up at Riku, who was still laughing at Demyx. She knew she was just sixteen, but the feeling couldn't be anymore strong for him. He may not be the one she'd spend her whole life with, she thought. But for now, he could be the one.

**That's it for chapter five! thank you guys for the reviews, they give me motivation to keep on writing! i hope you guys enjoy the story, and i'll be sure to update on a daily basis!**


	6. Try Outs

Chapter Six

All period Axel and the boys couldn't stop talking about Try Outs. Wakka was captain of the Blitzball team and was judging the try outs. "Come on dude, you have to get us in!" Sora exclaimed. "I mean, do you know what being on the Blitzball team can do for me?"

"Yeah, it'll give you meat on your scrawny arms." Wakka replied. "You know I can't pick favorites! It's against the rules!"

"Help a friend out! I haven't gotten any numbers in forever!" Sora said.

"That's a shocker. Since when did you get numbers from any girl?" Seifer grinned.

"I'm tired of being labled as a boy next door." Sora grumbled.

"You don't need sports to change your label." Riku said.

"Easy for you to say. You're one of the coolest guys in school, and I'm just your sidekick." Sora pointed out.

"You're not my sidekick. You're also pretty cool...in a dweeby way." Riku grinned.

Sora rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll try out for a different sport. What about wrestling? you think I can do it?"

"You're kidding right?" Larxene asked. "You'll get flattened like a pancake!"

"Alright, so it's a little too rough for me...how bout football?" Sora asked.

"Two words: butter fingers." Seifer replied.

"So I'm not the best catcher. Big deal. Man, what other sports can I play?" He asked.

"How bout track? it's easy. All you do is run around in circles." Axel replied.

"Track isn't as easy as it sounds!" Tidus snapped. He was on the Blitzball team and the track team. "You have to have good lungs, something Sora doesn't have."

"None of you guys are any help!" Sora grumbled.

"You can try out for the golf team." Roxas joked.

"Haha, everyone knows that that's the lamest sport in the world." He replied.

"Why don't you just try out for every sport, and see what you get into?" Zexion asked.

"Good idea." Sora replied. "Are you trying out for any sport?"

"Me? No way. I don't have time for barbaric activities." He snipped.

Axel rolled is eyes. "I need some activities for my app, so I HAVE to join a sport." It wasn't like he enjoyed joining social events or anything that was part of the school, but it was senior year and he had to get into a good college. His grades were shit, he had a record, sports was the only thing that could get him into a college right now.

"I'm thinking about joining the football team." Demyx said.

"I'll be sure to watch your try out. I need a laugh from all the homework I've been getting." Larxene grinned.

"I could use a laugh too. I just got the cold shoulder from Selphie." Pence said.

"She always gives you the cold shoulder." Seifer pointed out.

"Yeah, but this time she didn't even insult me. She just flat out ignored me!" Pence replied.

"Dude. Get over her, she's way out of your league." Hayner said, patting his shoulder.

"Yeah, besides she's into Tidus." Larxene replied.

"Chyea right." Roxas snorted. "Selphie is not into Tidus."

"How do you know that?" Larxene asked.

"Because Selphie is too boy crazy to just crush on one guy." Roxas said.

"Don't you see her eyes light up when Tidus walks into the room?" Larxene asked.

"You're crazy. I think you're haning out with Yuffie and the girls too much." Tidus replied.

Larxene rolled her eyes. "She likes you, I tell you."

"I'll believe that when pigs fly." Tidus snorted.

Wakka looked at his watch. "It's almost time for the try outs. I'll see you guys there?"

Seifer nodded. "It's me vs Pence. I know I'm so in."

"You're full of yourself. I've been practicing you know, so watch out!" Pence replied.

**Meanwhile**

Fuu could not believe that she was actually doing this. Come to think of it, nobody could believe it either. She was actually trying out for the cheerleading sqaud thanks to Selphie. "You know, I don't think It's a good idea anymore." Fuu said biting her lower lip.

"Nonsense! I need a cheering buddy, besides this is the best way to catch Seifer's eye!" Selphie grinned.

Fuu elbowed her in the ribs. "Shh! not too loud!"

"Everybody knows about your crush on Seifer, so chill out!" Selphie said, rubbing her bruised rib. "Except for him that is. And I bet he likes you too."

Fuu rolled her eyes. "Well he has a funny way of showing it. I can't believe he didn't even ask me to the dance." Fuu said recalling the first day of school.

"He probably was going to." Selphie replied, though she wasn't so sure herself.

"Why couldn't you ask Kairi to come audition with you?" Fuu asked.

"Because I need you to make me look good." Selphie smiled.

"Thanks." Fuu said, rolling her eyes.

"You know what I mean!" Selphie replied.

"Yeah, I know. Cheering isn't my thing anyway. I mean their just dancers gone retarded, right?" Fuu asked.

Selphie let out a gasp. "Don't let them hear you!" she hissed.

"Who?" Fuu asked. She was soon going to find out.

A group of senior girls: Tifa, Aerith, and Rinoa, walked up to them. "What was that you said about cheerleaders?" Tifa quipped.

"I said that they're-" Selphie quickly covered Fuu's mouth.

"She said that they're awesome and that she's retarded for not trying out sooner!" Selphie lied.

Tifa raised an eyebrow. "Mhmm. Well, if you think that cheering is so easy, why don't you show us some moves?"

"I never said it was easy." Fuu replied. "I just said that it was stupid."

Aerith chuckled at her reply. "Cheering is a way of life. It's like living and breathing!"

"Yeah, I'm sure it is." Fuu rolled her eyes. "I don't even know why I'm here."

"Oh, I think you do." Tifa replied. "You want to be like us. Well tough luck kid, cause there's no way you're getting in. Especially after that comment you made about us cheerleaders."

"I still have a chance right?" Selphie squeaked.

Tifa snorted. "Are you friends with that girl?"

"NO! I've never even talked to her in my entire life!" Selphie lied.

Fuu shot her a look. "Okay, maybe I talked to her a couple of times." Selphie murmered. Fuu was still giving her the look. "By a couple, I mean A LOT of times." Selphie was forced to say. Fuu stomped her on the foot, forcing her to admit that they were friends. "Were friends too. But I'm this close to dumping her if she does that one more time!" She gave Fuu a look.

"We'll see." Rinoa said. The three walked back to the bleachers, where they watched and judged the try outs.

"I hope I didn't blow it!" Selphie cried.

"Who cares? why do you want to be like them?" Fuu asked.

"How could you not? They get all the boys, they get into the good parties, they're popular, they're everything a girl could want to be!" Selphie replied.

"Every girl?" Fuu raised her eyebrow.

"Well every NORMAL girl." Selphie said.

"Hey whats up?" Demyx said, coming in between them.

Selphie looked at him up and down. "Demyx, you look like crap."

"I tried out for football. I think I did pretty good up until I got tackled by Laxaeus." Demyx replied. He was covered in dirt, and his hair was all mussed up.

"What're you doing here?" Fuu asked. "Did you come here to watch us try out?" She groaned.

"No, I'm trying out, silly." Demyx grinned.

"You're kidding right?" Selphie asked.

"No. Why do people think that it's so weird to be a guy cheerleader? I mean, I'm only doing it because of the ladies." Demyx replied.

"Here's your cheering buddy." Fuu said, patting Selphie in the back. "See you later." Fuu sped away as fast as she could before Selphie could pull her back in.

**Meanwhile**

Namine and Ollette stood in line anticipating their turn. They had both decided to try out for the girl's volleyball team. Namine stood on tip toed to see how the others trying out were doing. "Man, I'm so not getting in." Namine pouted. "All of them are good!"

"You don't know that. Sure they be good, but maybe they'll like you and give you a spot on the team." Ollette smiled, encouraginly.

Namine tried to believe it, but she couldn't. After all, she wasn't the most athletic girl in the world. She was super clumsy and the only reason why she was trying out for a sport was to spite Roxas. He said that she wouldn't be able to play a sport because she was so fragile, but she was going to prove him wrong. somehow.

"Next!" Yuffie cried. She was the captain of the volleyball team, and one would expect that with them being friends, she could easily get them in. But Yuffie played by the rules.

Ollette stepped up in the center of the gym. Yuffie served her some balls, and Ollette had to hit them back to her. Namine watched as Ollette danced around the gym. Namine wasn't so sure she could do this. She'd probably trip over her feet trying to hit the balls back to Yuffie.

"Next!" Yuffie called. Namine gulped and stepped up. Yuffie smiled at her and served her her first ball. _'This is not going to turn out well'_ Namine thought to herself.

**Meanwhile**

"Put some muscle into it!" Laxaeus screamed into Sora's ear.

"I'm trying, sir!" Sora yelled while trying to lift up Pence.

"This type of weakness is not going to get you a spot on the wrestling team!" Laxaeus shouted.

Sora sighed. What was he thinking? He should have listened to the guys. He almost died trying to get Pence off of him. From the sidelines, he could hear Seifer and Larxene snicker at him. "If you're not going to put a 100 percent into this, you might as well get out of my face!" Laxaeus growled. Sora slumped his shoulders and returned to his group of friends.

"So how'd it go?" Larxene grinned.

"You know how it went. You guys were right. I'm a weakling!" Sora cried.

Seifer patted him on the back encouraginly. "Don't feel bad. There's still the bowling team."

"You're not helping. I'm trying to join a manly sport!" Sora snapped.

Hayner and Pence walked up to the group, all sweaty and tired. "I got in, you guys!" Hayner grinned.

"Alright!" Seifer grinned, pounding his fist. "What about tubby here? how'd he do?"

Pence just glared at him. "I didn't make it."

"Shocker. Wanna go see how Axel's doing?" Seifer asked the group.

Larxene nodded. "Yeah. I have nothing better to do."

Sora and Pence were too depressed to respond so Hayner had to drag them to Axel's try out.

**Meanwhile**

"You better not drop me!" Selphie hissed when she found out that Demyx had to hold her up.

"Would I ever?" Demyx asked, hoisting her up.

"I guess not." Selphie said.

Aerith walked by each pair, making sure they had it perfect. Selphie sucked in her breath. She really wanted this! If she didn't get in, she would die!

Demyx was only in it for the girls. He didn't think that it took much to get out there on the fields and yell chants. He noticed Vexen walking down the fields. "Hey Vex!" He called.

"Demyx. Don't you dare-" Too late, Selphie fell flat on her face. Demyx ran after Vexen, who was running away from him.

"Vexen, where are you going?" He called.

"I demand that you stop running after me!" Vexen exclaimed.

"But it's me! You're favorite student, remember?" Demyx yelled.

"Demyx. If you don't stop chasing me, I'll file a report on you!" Vexen yelled.

Selphie watched as Demyx chased after Vexen. "Unbelievable!" She muttered. She was going to make him pay after try outs, if she didn't get in the sqaud.

**Meanwhile**

Zexion, Tidus, and Rikku lounged in the loft waiting for the others to return. They were the only ones who did't bother with trying out for a sport. Zexion didn't have time to play any games, Tidus was already in track and Blitzball, and Rikku was already in the girls soccer team.

"Christmas is coming up." Tidus said.

"I know! I can't wait to visit the family again!" Rikku exclaimed.

"Really? I'm not. Every year, Christmas turns out the same way for me: crappy." Zexion said bitterly.

"This year's going to be different, trust me!" Rikku smiled.

"What's going to be different?" Zexion asked. "Christmas sucks."

"How can you hate Christmas!?" Tidus asked.

Zexion shrugged. "It's like Thanksgiving. Some people love it, some people don't."

"Yeah, but this is X-mas were talking about!" Tidus cried. "You know, the only time you get cool gifts?"

"I don't care about the material objects." Zexion replied.

"I'm going to make this a side project. I'm going to make you love Christmas if it's the last thing I do!" Rikku exclaimed.

Zexion rolled his eyes. "Don't waste your time."

"Oh don't worry. I won't." Rikku replied. She was already brainstorming some ideas she could do to make him enjoy Christmas. Maybe if he spent Christmas at her house, he'd see how wonderful it really is.

**Meanwhile**

"I think the swelling stopped." Ollette said. Namine took the ice package off her head. She had been hit by the volleyballs too many times to count.

"I don't know what the hell I was thinking." Namine grumbled. "Roxas was right. I can't do sports."

Ollette pouted. "That's not the Namine I know. She'd never agree with what Roxas says!"

"The Namine you knew was killed by Yuffie." She muttered.

Ollette planted her hands on her hips. "Namine, were going to find you a sport so you can shove it up Roxas' ass!"

"Eww. Why would I want to do that?" Namine said.

Ollette rolled her eyes, "C'mon my friend, we are going to try out for the girl's soccer team." She sang while dragging Namine across the floor.

Namine crossed her arms over her chest. She was used to being carried around like a rag doll by now. Nearly two months had passed since she came here, and she'd gotten accepted. It's all that she ever wanted. But something was wrong. She felt like she was missing something.

**Meanwhile**

"I made it." He limped over to the guys. He had been tackled, kicked, and punched by every guy on the blitzball team. Axel held his side, which was all bruised up from Wakka kicking him.

"That's good for you!" Yuffie exclaimed running up to hug him, but immediantly let go when he glared at her. She had to remember that Axel did not like being touched. "What's your position?" She asked.

"I'm the left forward. Great huh?" Axel said trying to sound enthusiastic. He didn't even want to be part of the team. He was hoping that he could be defense instead, that way if someone got past him, it wouldn't be his fault if they scored a point. It would be the goalie's.

"That's not just great, that's amazing!" Yuna cried.

"Amazing, great, whatever. Let's get something to eat. I'm hungry." Axel said.

"I'm with him on this. I haven't eaten in an hour." Pence replied.

"You guys go. I think I'll go try out for the Basket ball team." Larxene said.

"Good luck." Sora said.

"Thanks but I don't need it." Larxene smiled.

The group had decided to grab a burger and meet up with the rest there. Hayner had made it into the wrestling team, Axel on the blitzball team, Seifer on the hockey team, and Roxas on the Soccer team. The rest hadn't done so well on their audition.

"There's gotta be something else I could do." Pence said. "I mean, I need some extracurricular activities for my college app. And there's no way I'm signing up for the school play!"

"Give it a rest Pence. There's always next year." Roxas said.

"Easy for you to say. You got in the soccer team." Pence muttered.

"So how's your little bet with Namine going?" Axel asked.

"Hm? It's not a bet, but I told Namine that she wouldn't be able to play a sport and now she's out there getting herself killed to try to prove me wrong." Roxas replied.

"Can't you two just be nice to each other?" Riku asked. "It's not that hard."

"Actually it is." Roxas murmered.

"What happened to you?" Riku asked when Demyx limped over. Rikku and Zexion had to help him up the stairs and maneuver his way to the group. Demyx was all scratched up, he had tears on his clothing, and he was even dirtier.

"Selphie happened." Demyx replied.

"Why?" Yuffie asked.

"I accidently dropped her to go talk to Vexen during the cheering try outs." Demyx explained.

"Cheering try outs?" Axel snorted.

"I was only in it for the girls, okay?" Demyx snapped. He sat down next to Zexion and Rikku.

"And here comes Selphie." Zexion said.

Demyx gulped. He knew that she was still angry at him for dropping her and spraining her ankle and ruining her chances for getting into the cheering sqaud.

"I hope your happy! Thanks to you, I have to find a different sport to join!" She fumed.

"You call cheering a sport?" Wakka snorted.

Selphie shot him a look that said "shut the fuck up or I will mess you up." Wakka quickly looked away. Selphie turned back to Demyx, who was limping away from here.

"Come back here!" Selphie yelled. "I'm not done venting yet!" She ran after him.

"He is so dead." Yuna said. She turned to look at Rikku, who watched Demyx try to free himself from Selphie's death grip with a worried expression on her face. She cringed when Selphie gave him multiple kicks to the ribs.

"Remind me never to get on her bad side." Sora said.

"Should we help him?" Zexion asked.

"Nah." Axel replied.

Zexion shrugged. There was no way he was going in there alone.

Namine, Ollette, Fuu and Kairi had finally finished trying out and sat in a table next to the group of boys. Namine knew what Roxas was going to say. He was going to say that he was right and that she was a fragile porcelain doll.

"So, did you make the team?" Roxas asked, already knowing the answer.

Namine was about to say "No." but the look on his face made her want to punch him. "Yeah. I did, actually." she said instead.

Roxas raised his eyebrow in surprise. "What?"

"ARE. YOU. DEAF? I. SAID. THAT. I. MADE. THE. TEAM." Namine said loudly.

"I heard you, I just can't believe that you actually made the team in......... what sport was it again?" Roxas asked.

"Uh.." Namine began. "Track." She replied.

"What are you talking about? you didn't even try out!" Ollette whispered.

Namine stomped on her foot to make her shut up. "So I guess you were wrong about me?"

"Track's not a real sport anyway." Roxas grumbled, turning away from her.

Namine smiled to herself, triumphantly. "Congradulations." Zexion said. "I'll look forward to see you run in the games."

Namine opened her eyes. "What?"

"All of us will be there for your track meet." Zexion repeated himself.

"Yeah, wouldn't want to miss it." Roxas grinned. _'I can't believe I actually believe her. There's no way she made it on the track team. Though, she is fast.'_ he thought to himself.

"Miss what?" Demyx said, holding himself up on the table. He had just escaped from Selphie's wrath and was all out of breath. "Don't ask." He said when Fuu opened her mouth to ask what happened to him.

"Selphie, right?" Fuu asked.

Demyx nodded. "Did you see the way she was yelling at me? I sat there waiting for her head to turn like in the exorsist!"

"That's why you don't mess with Selphie." Ollette grinned.

"Oh, did I tell you guys about the grinch over here?" Rikku said, pointing to Zexion.

"Hm?" Axel asked.

"Zex hates christmas. Weird huh?" Rikku asked.

"He's always hated Christmas." Demyx said. "He's been like that since he was a little kid."

"Well this year, we're going to make him love it!" Rikku exclaimed.

"That's like telling Zexion to stop studying." Seifer said.

"So it'll be a little tough, but nothing we can't handle right?" Rikku asked.

Pence shrugged. "Sure, why not."

"You guys should spend Christmas at my house. My family throws the best christmas parties in all of Traverse Town!" Demyx said. He lived a little farther away from the group.

"At your house?" Hayner raised his eyebrows. "I'm not spending Christmas with a bunch of crazies!"

"Just because most of my relatives have been in rehab or been locked up in an insane asylum, doesn't mean they're crazy!" Demyx replied.

"I think it's a safer call if we spend it at my house. I mean, It's huge. It can fit a bunch of people in." Axel pointed out.

Sora nodded. "Axel's house it is then. And how about New Years at my place? My parents aren't going to be home for a week, so we have the whole place to ourselves." He said.

"Great. I'll bring the liquor." Wakka said.

"How? you're not legal." Yuna pointed out.

"You're right, I'm not. But that's not what this i.d. says!" He said pulling out a fake i.d.

"Sinbad? are you fucking kidding me?" Axel spat out. "They're not going to believe you."

"What's wrong with Sinbad?" Wakka asked.

"You don't have a last name and it's a plain stupid name." Axel replied.

"Crap. I spent fifty dollars on this thing." He said flinging it into the trash can.

"Don't worry. There's still another way to get the alcohol." Yuffie smiled. "You're looking at the master of disguise."

"That's brilliant, but what if he asks for an id?" Zexion asks.

"He won't ask for one, if Wakka looks like he's twenty five." Yuffie replied with a grin.

"It doesn't seem very fool proof." Zexion muttered to himself.

**Next day**

Namine was woken up by Ollette at 7:15 in the morning. "Wake up!" She hissed.

"Five more minutes," She grumbled.

"No. Now! the track team has a meeting!" She said.

"So? I'm not on the track team." Namine replied sleepily.

"That's not what you told Roxas. Now your butt up if you don't want him to know that you lied!" Ollette said.

Namine snapped her eyes open. "Oh shit. What did I get myself into!?" She hopped out of bed and made a beeline for her drawer. She tugged on some shorts and pulled on a clean grey shirt. "What time do I have to get there?" Namine asked.

"In five minutes." Ollette replied.

"Shit." Namine struggled to pull on some socks and ran down the steps.

"Welcome to the team!" Sid said. He was the coach for the indoor track team. "We have our first meet right after the holidays, and you know what happens then. You don't get much time to practice and you end up not training. That's why today's going to be a day of hard work outs!" He boomed.

Namine slipped inside the gym, as quietly as she could. She managed to get into a spot behind everyone else, where no one would notice her. Sure enough, Roxas, Sora, Riku, Axel, Zexion, Tidus, Wakka, and Larxene were there in the side lines. Namine gulped, she should have told Roxas the truth, even though it would feed his ego.

She hoped that she wouldn't be spotted, but too late. Roxas had seen her, and he was giving her his devilish grin. Namine just glared at him.

"Okay, give me 3 laps around this gym!" Sid yelled.

Namine broke into a sprint, easily passing the other runners. She was only trailing after the lead runner by a little. Namine grew nervous when she heard one of the girls behind her murmer, "She's not in the track team!"

"Look at her go." Larxene commented.

Roxas shrugged, trying to hide the fact that he was impressed with her. "She's still not in first place."

"Yeah, but she's close enough." Riku replied.

Namine only had one more lap to go, and so far the coach hadn't notice that she wasn't part of the team. Until now. "Hey you! Blondie, get over here! you're not in the team!" Sid yelled.

"What's he talking about?" Tidus murmered. "Of course she is!"

The group stepped away from the sidelines and hurried over to where she was to see what was going on.

"Who the hell do you think you are barging into practice like that?" Sid scolded.

"I-I"Namine began.

"She's part of the team. What're you yelling at her for?" Riku asked.

Sid blinked. "She's not part of the team. She didn't even try out."

The boys looked at her. "What's he talking about?" Wakka asked.

"Okay, I didn't try out for track. Roxas made me do it!" Namine said.

"I didn't make you do anything!" Roxas replied.

"I had to lie because you pushed me to do it with your stupid smile." Namine snapped.

"Excuse me for smiling!" Roxas exclaimed.

"You know what you were trying to do!" Namine hissed.

"Enough!" Sid yelled. "You disrupted practice, but you're a hell of a good runner and that's why I'm offering you a spot on the team."

"Really?" Namine said.

"I don't lie about this stuff." Sid said. "Now get your ass over there!"

Namine grinned at Roxas. "Look who really made the team this time."

**Sorry that this was a sucky chapter, i had no muse :( i'll make sure that the next chapter is a good one! it's going to be a christmas/new years eve special =)**


	7. Merry Christmas!

Chapter Seven

"I wish you guys could spend Christmas at my house." Selphie said. "I'm going to miss you guys!" Her family had insisted that she spend Christmas with the family, instead of with her friends.

"We're going to spend new years together at Sora's house, you'll survive a couple of days without us." Fuu reassured her.

"Just five more days until christmas." Ollette said smiling. "I wonder what I'll get?"

"I asked my dad for a new ipod, so I bet I'm going to get." said Kairi.

"I've been dying for a pair of new uggs!" Selphie cried.

"What's wrong with your old ones?" Fuu asked. They seemed to be in perfect condition.

"They're brown, hello. I need pink boots to go with my whole new pink wardrobe!" Selphie replied.

Fuu rolled her eyes. "You just bought those a month ago." she pointed out.

"And they are so out now. If anyone of you can fit a size 6, you can have them." Selphie said, holding the boots up.

Namine shook her head. "Boots aren't really my thing."

Kairi passed the offer. "Did you guys hear about the social the school's holding?" she asked.

"No. What is it this time?" Fuu asked. Last year they had every home room do a lip sync of a christmas song. It was going pretty good up until Demyx came into the picture. He broke the stereo and tore down all the decorations and injuring a few students, thanks to his clumsiness. He had tripped over his feet while trying to follow the dance steps to the song, and ran into the decorations. Demyx was blinded by them, and ran into the stereo and a few students.

"It's going to be a secret santa thing. We were going to have another lip sync, but after the Demyx incident they called it off." Kairi explained.

"Good call." Selphie said.

"We'll probably hear more about it in class." Kairi said, looking at her watch.

**First period**

Larxene and Axel slumped over their desks during Calculus class. Xaldin taught the class, which made it hard for Axel to pay any attention in class. All he could think about were Xaldin's sideburns. Axel felt the need to shave them whenever he saw them.

"And that concludes our math lesson today." Xaldin said. "Now on to the social event. I'm sure most of you know what it is, thanks to our blabber mouth, clown of a school president." He said making a reference to Demyx. Nobody knew how he won. They were so sure that Yuna was going to get the spot, after all, all Demyx talked about during his 5 minute speech was how they ought to be served better milk. Yuna had put a lot of time in her speech, it took her atleast fifteen minutes to present it to the school. "Moving on, we're going to have a secret santa. woo hoo!" He said preteding to be excited.

"Great." Larxene said. "This is going to be fun. Not."

"Each one of you will be given a card with a person's name on it. You have to give them the gift, of course, they can't know it's you." Xaldin explained.

Axel shrugged. He probably didn't have to spend a ton of money on the gift. "What's the budget?" He asked.

"Twenty bucks." Xaldin replied.

"I'll give whoever I get something from the dollar store." Axel said.

"If you get me, you better get me something good. Like a pair of new basketball shoes." Larxene said.

"How bout a basketball? I think those are cheaper." Axel said.

"You're such a cheap-stake!" Larxene said. "You won't even get your friend something nice for Christmas?"

"A basketball's nice, isn't it?" Axel asked.

Larxene sighed. "Yeah. I hope you don't get me."

Xaldin came around passing the cards. As soon as Axel got his, he flipped it over and read the name on the card. "Yuna. That should be easy. I'll buy her a new bible."

Larxene rolled her eyes. "She's got a ton of those. I've got Wakka. I know exactly what to give him!" She grinned. She was going to get him a new blitzball, his was no good anymore.

**Meanwhile**

"I have Zexion!" Rikku exclaimed.

Zexion rolled his eyes. "You're not supposed to announce that."

"Oh." Rikku said sheepishly. "Well, I know just what to get you! I'm going to make this the best Christmas ever!" She said confidently.

Zexion was relieved when he found out that he got Demyx. It was easy finding a gift for him, he knew that he had been dying for a new string for his guitar.

"I'm telling you, This year, Christmas is going to be amazing!" Rikku said. "We'll have egg nogg, go christmas carolling, throw a party, and open up presents!"

"That doesn't sound...fun." Zexion said.

"But they are! just wait and see!" Rikku smiled.

Zexion wasn't looking forward to Christmas at all. He took his books and made his way into his second period class as soon as the bell rang.

**Meanwhile**

"Great. Look who I got?" Roxas said pointing to the name on the card.

"Namine?" Pence said munching on some chips. "I've got Kairi. I think it'll be an easy find for the both of us."

"Could we trade?" Roxas pleaded.

"Nope. I think this'll help you two bond." Pence replied.

"Some friend you are." Roxas muttered. He turned to Seifer, "Who do you have?"

"Ollette." He said. "What do you think she wants?" He asked.

Roxas shrugged. "Give her something she'll use. Like....a pair of socks."

"CUTE socks." Pence added.

"Does it really matter how cute it is? it's not like anyone else will see it." Seifer pointed out.

"What about a sweater? You have Home ec class, right? you could knit her a sweater." Pence replied.

Seifer shrugged. "Not a bad idea. At least I don't have to spend a dime on her."

Roxas glared at his card. Of all people why her? He could just buy her a card that said Merry Christmas and stick the twenty dollars in it, but he didn't want to do that. He wanted to atleast get her something decent.

**Chemistry Class**

"Easy now...Easy.." Zexion directed Demyx. He was his lab partner, unfortunately.

"Relax, I won't mess up this lab this time." Demyx assured him.

Zexion didn't believe him. "You have to have a steady hand! you're shaking!"

"I'm shaking cause you're making me nervous!" Demyx snapped turning to him, the glass vial spilling all of it's contents into the the other mixture.

Zexion looked at Demyx in horror. "Do you realize what you have done!?"

"Hey it's bubbling." Demyx said, stepping closer.

"No!" Zexion rushed over to pull Demyx aside. The mixture exploded in Zexion's face and the room darkened.

Zexion didn't know how long he was out, but when he opened his eyes he found a hooded figure hovering above him. Zexion jumped back a little. "Who're you?"

"That is not important. What is important is that I tell you what you'll be expecting in the near future." the hooded figure said.

"Is this some joke? Axel, is that you?" Zexion asked.

"You will be visited by three aparitions on Christmas day. the ghost of christmas past, the present, and the future." the figure spoke.

"Tidus, I know it's you so cut the crap." Zexion said.

"This is not Tidus or any of your friends!" The figure snapped.

"Did Rikku set you up?" Zexion asked. "Cause she's been trying to change my mind about Christmas."

The figure sighed. "In five days, Zexion. five days." The figure dissapeared into a pool of darkness, and soon the room was lit up. Zexion found himself at the nurse's office.

"I just had the weirdest dream." Zexion said.

Demyx was sitting right beside him. "Hey you're alive! I thought for sure that I killed you!" Demyx exclaimed.

"I thought for sure too." Zexion said, struggling to get up.

The nurse walked over to him. "You look fine, you can go to class now." She said writing him a slip. Zexion took the slip and made his way out of the room, with Demyx trailing right after him.

"So tell me about the dream." Demyx said.

"The dream? oh right. Some hooded figure popped up and started telling me crap about what'll happen to me on Christmas day." Zexion said. "He said that I'll be visited by a couple of aparitions."

"Wow. You think it'll come true?" Demyx asked.

"Of course not!" Zexion snapped.

"You know, they say that dreams sometimes predict the future." Demyx stated.

"What a load of crap." Zexion snorted. "You don't seriously believe that, do you?" He asked.

Demyx shrugged. "Maybe."

"ZEXION!" Selphie screetched from the other end of the hallways. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

"Run." Demyx whispered.

Zexion gulped, "Yeah, well I better go to class now." He said nervously.

Selphie ran towards him to give him one of her famous bear hugs. Zexion dashed up the steps, with Selphie trailing after his footsteps.

**THE FOURTH DAY**

The dean had been generous and gave the students the whole day off to find gifts for the secret santa social. Namine, Kairi, Ollette, and Fuu had gone to the mall to shop for the gifts. Namine had to give Pence a gift, Fuu had Sora, and Kairi had Riku. Selphie had Seifer, but she said that she already had her gift picked out for him.

"What can I give Pence?" Namine wondered.

"Just get him a pair of new pants." Kairi suggested. "I'm sure he needs them, he's been packing on the pounds lately."

Namine shrugged. "I kinda wanted to give him something special, but as long as he uses it I'll be happy."

"It's going to be hard shopping for Riku. He has everything a boy wants!" Kairi said. "He's got a nice car, nice clothes, all the sports gear in the world, everything I tell you!" She exclaimed.

"Why don't you get him something nice, like a soccer ball? he's on the soccer team and he'd probably need it." Fuu said.

"If he'll use it.." She said uncertainly.

Fuu already knew what to get Sora. He wanted some video game that was atleast 40 dollars, but since it was Christmas Fuu decided to buy it for him even though it was past the budget.

**Meanwhile**

Demyx and Axel had gone out to buy the presents. They figured that they would just get it over with already. Demyx had to buy Yuffie something, but he wasn't sure what. Axel had told him to buy her a new headband or something, but Demyx frowned at that idea. "She's going to think that I'm cheap." Demyx said.

Axel shrugged. "She does likke head bands."

Axel wandered into the book store to look for a bible. Sure Yuna had dozens of those already, but another one wouldn't hurt. "She's Christian right?" Axel turned to Demyx.

"How should I know?" Demyx replied. "I think she's Catholic."

"Isn't that the same as a Christian?" Axel asked.

"Sorta. Just buy her it." Demyx said. "She probably won't be able to tell the difference."

Axel wasn't so sure about that, but he took the bible anyway.

"What's Yuffie into?" Demyx asked, after they purchased the book.

"Headbands." Axel replied.

"I want to buy her a gift that costs over five dollars atleast!" Demyx snapped.

"Why don't you get her a shirt or something?" Axel replied.

"I dont know her size." Demyx said. His eyes wandered to the music store, where he had spent most of his time in whenever they went to the mall. "You think she'll like some cd's?" He asked.

"Do you know what music she likes?" Axel asked. He was pretty sure that he only wanted to go inside the store to check out the guitars.

"No...But I'm sure she'll like the classics." Demyx said.

"The classics?" Axel repeated. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'll buy her a bunch of mixes to listen to." Demyx said rushing into the store. Axel rolled his eyes. Demyx had gone into the back to hold the new guitar being displayed.

"I've been waiting for this baby to come out!" Demyx said while strumming the guitar.

"You're supposed to be looking for Yuffie's present, remember?" Axel reminded him.

"I can get her the present anytime. But this might be the last time I get to hold this thing." He pointed out. "You know how to play the drums right? why don't you test that one out?" He pointed to a drum set by the far end corner.

Axel shrugged. It wouldn't hurt to test the set out, could it?

**Meanwhile**

Yuffie rummaged the halls of Twilight Academy, in search of her secret santa. "Are you my secret santa?" She asked each and every person she saw.

"Quit it Yuffie!" Larxene hissed. "You look like a derranged lunatic!"

"I HAVE to know who my secret santa is! what if I get someone bad like...Axel." Yuffie said.

"Probably not." Yuna reassured her. "Maybe Wakka's your secret santa?"

"He's worse than Axel! He buys gifts that HE wants." She slumped her shoulders.

"Maybe Zexion is your secret santa." Larxene said. "He may not like Christmas, but he knows what others want. He's observative."

Yuffie's face brightened. "And there he is." She said smiling.

"Remember, don't act like a-" Yuna began, but it was too late. Yuffie made a mad dash towards Zexion, knocking over some students in the process.

"Zexion!" Yuffie yelled, jumping on top of him.

"Can't. Breathe." Zexion gasped for air.

Yuffie got up to let him brush off the dirt on his clothes and regain his breath. "Are you my secret santa?" She asked, not giving him a chance to answer. "Cause I hope you are, I don't want someone bad like Axel or Wakka."

"Sorry, but I'm not your Secret Santa." He said.

Yuffie pouted at him.

"I didn't choose." He said apologetically.

"Come on Yuffie." Yuna said, strapping her arms around her shoulder. "Let's go back to our room before you send others to the hospital."

**Meanwhile**

"I wish Christmas was everyday!" Pence said. "It's not all the time that we get out of school for basically no reason."

Seifer nodded. "I actually agree with you on this." The two were lounging in their room with Hayner. Hayner used to room with them, but he moved to room with Roxas, Riku, and Sora.

"Pass me the chips Hayner." Pence said, snapping his fingers.

"Could you not do that? I'm not your maid." Hayner said handing him the bowl of dorritos.

Pence shrugged. He looked at his watch, "It's time to change the channel." He said reaching for the remote control. "Hannah Montana's playing."

Seifer grabbed the remote from Pence's hands. "No way were watching that show. Besides, it's for girls."

"And Gossip Girl isn't for girls? And what about Desperate Housewives!? that's way girlier than Hannah Montana!" Pence snapped.

"Don't diss Gossip Girl!" Seifer hissed. "I only watch it cause Serena's hot."

Pence rolled his eyes. "But she's not an undercover superstar!" he retorted, reaching for the remote control.

Seifer pulled back and held his hand out to prevent Pence from getting it. "But Hannah Montana doesn't have nearly enough drama to satisfy a guy!" Seifer said.

Hayner rolled his eyes. This was the exact reason why he quit rooming with them. Seifer and Pence got up into a fighting stance. "Don't, you guys." Hayner said.

"Stay out of this!" Seifer hissed.

"Can't you settle this the mature way?" Hayner asked.

"No. We're settling it the manly way." Pence said. He motioned for Hayner to put the remote in the center.

Hayner got up to place the remote in the center and sighed. This happened all the time back when he was still rooming with the two. It was amazing that the two were still friends in the end, even after a big fight. Hayner knew what to do by now, he didn't need to hear the instructions from the two of them. He held up his hand and made a count down. "...3.....2......1!" Hayner quickly moved out of the way.

Pence and Seifer came rushing in like a bunch of animals. Seifer pushed Pence's face away, while Pence was grabbing Seifer's arm to prevent him from getting the remote.

**Meanwhile**

Riku, Sora, and Roxas had gone to the mall to buy the gifts. Sora was Roxas' secret santa, which made it hard for him to shop with Roxas nearby. He had bought him a new skateboard. His old one was broken in half from Demyx trying to learn how to Skateboard. Roxas had decided to buy Namine a sketch pad and a fine pencil. It didn't seem like much, but it cost him atleast 14 dollars for the sketchpad and 5 dollars for the stupid pencil. _'She better be greatful for this'_ He thought. Riku was shopping for Selphie and Namine. He had bought Selphie a nice comfy hat that he heard that she wanted. He was still shopping for Namine's gift.

"Come on, do you really need to buy her a gift?" Roxas asked. "I already have it covered."

"I don't need to. I want to." Riku replied.

Sora and Roxas sighed. "Buy her some socks." They both said.

Riku shook his head. "That's a lame gift." He looked around the mall and spotted a jewlery store. "Now that's a gift." He said eyeing a saphire studed necklace.

"Too bad you don't have enough money for it." Roxas sang.

"Wrong. I have just enough money for it, plus tax. I guess all the lawn mowing paid off." He said remembering his summer job last year.

Roxas frowned. His gift would look crappy compared to his. He and Sora waited outside the store for Riku to finish paying for the gift.

"And stay out!" A man screamed, throwing Axel and Demyx out of the shop. Sora and Roxas ran up to meet them.

"What happened to you guys?" Sora asked.

"Demyx tried to do a backflip and landed wrong. He ended up running into the drumset and breaking it." Axel explained.

"It wasn't just my fault you know." Demyx said. "Axel dodged out of the way, but didn't think of moving the drums."

Axel rolled his eyes. "There's no way I'm spending the holidays in the hospital."

"Worse part is, I'm never going to be able to step into that store anymore." He said.

"And you didn't even get to buy Yuffie her presents." Axel reminded him.

"Crap. I forgot." He groaned.

"There's other stores to shop at." Roxas said. "Look, Payless is still- oh forget it." He said noticing that the doors were being locked. He looked around and noticed that all the shops were closing down now. "Shit. You're screwed."

"She'll kill me if I don't buy her something decent." Demyx moaned.

Axel looked at his friend sympathetically. "Leave it to me. Just stop moping." He sighed.

"But today's the last day to shop." Demyx pointed out.

"Who said anything about shopping?" Axel said.

**Meanwhile**

Larxene and Yuna lounged in their rooms talking about Christmas. Rikku had joined in on the conversation as well.

"It's going to be amazing!" Yuna said. "This is the first time all of us spent any holiday together. Atleast now I won't feel so lonely at home."

Larxene nodded. "Christmas gets pretty lonely with just me and my mom."

"Christmas is always happy at my house. We have a big fiesta, and we go carolling every year!" Rikku smiled.

The three heard a knock on the door. Larxene got up to open it. Selphie, Ollette, Fuu, Kairi, and Namine stood outside. Larxene moved to let them in.

"So how was the shopping?" Yuna asked.

"Amazing! I bought a cute pair of Flip flops while I was there shopping for Riku's gift." Kairi said showing them off.

"Too bad you won't be able to use them until spring." Larxene said.

"I forgot about that." Kairi frowned.

"What did you get him anyway?" Rikku asked.

"Behold, I got him the sexiest looking pair of sunglasses!" Kairi said holding the glasses up high.

"Let me guess," Larxene said. "you bought the flip flops first and you didn't have enough money for a nice gift?"

"No, of course not." Kairi scoffed. "Okay. I did buy these first but only because these were the last pairs in my size!" she explained.

"Where's Yuffie?" Namine asked. "Doesn't she room with you guys?"

"Oh yeah. She went hay wire and we had to lock her in the bathroom." Rikku said, explaining the muffled screams coming from the room.

Namine made herself comfy and sat down on the couch. "I wonder who's my secret santa." Namine said.

"I heard that it was Roxas, but then again I heard that from Wakka and he ALWAYS lies." Rikku said.

"I hope he is lying. Roxas'll probably give me something crappy, like ugly socks." Namine replied.

"I dunno, I think he likes you deep down." Selphie said.

"You're kidding right?" It wasn't too hard to believe. He even said that he didn't hate her. But sometimes it was hard to tell with him, he was an ass all the time to her, but sometimes he could be the sweetest person.

"Nope. I think he's still in his first grade stage. You know, where the guy picks on you to hide the fact that he DOES like you?" Selphie explained.

"I'd rather he didn't like me." Namine muttered.

"He can't be that bad. He is kinda cute." Kairi said.

"You're only saying that because he looks a lot like Sora." Namine pointed out.

"No, I'm serious," She said. "You two would look really cute together."

"Ew!" Namine shrieked. "We would so not!" She blushed.

"She's got Riku too, so it wouldn't matter who you chose cause they're both cute!" Selphie grinned.

Namine smiled. Thinking about Riku made her smile, she was so crushing on him. Her friends already knew about it, and they totally supported her. The thing was, Riku hadn't made a move on her yet. Namine didn't get it, she knew he liked her so why wouldn't he ask her to be his girlfriend all ready? she was practically screaming for him to ask her on a real date!

"What did you get the grinch?" Fuu asked Rikku.

"Hm? Oh! It's a surprise! He's going to L-O-V-E it!" She cried.

"Let's hope so." Fuu said. "I really can't stand his grumpiness."

"Wonder why he hates Christmas so much?" Fuu asked.

**Zexion's Flashback**

_It was Zexion's 7th Christmas and he had been begging santa to buy him a rocket ship set. It's all he ever wanted. His parents had told him to go to sleep early for tomorrow santa would bring the presents. So he went to bed. He was excited for what tomorrow would bring, he couldn't sleep at all. That's when he heard the noise. It was nearly midnight and it was odd for anyone to be awake at that time. He figured that it was santa and hopped out of bed._

_As quickly and quietly as he could, he tiptoed his way down the stairs to find a fat man wearing a red coat and pants. He had a red hat as well. "Santa!" He yelled out, startling the man. The man jumped back, tripping over the presents and fell on top of poor Zexion. Zexion screamed for help, but his cries were muffled under the fat man. His parents had heard the noise and ran down to see what was going on. The man turned out to be his uncle pretending to be Santa. Since then Zexion had never been the same. He refused to believe in such nonsense like Santa and the Easter Bunny. _

**Meanwhile**

"Hey guys, were finally done from- what the fuck?" Sora said when he saw two sweaty boys wrestling on the floor. He looked at Hayner who was half asleep. "Remote again?" he asked.

Hayner nodded. "They've been going at it for nearly two hours now."

"That's a record." Roxas commented. Pence was on top of Seifer, using his weight to suffocate him. Seifer had his hands around Pence's neck.

"Hannah Montana.....is......better......than.....Gossip Girl!" Pence wheezed.

"In.....your.....dreams......fat ass!" Seifer struggled to get the words out of his mouth.

"I'm.....not....fat!" Pence managed to say before Riku pulled him off of Seifer.

"What gives?" Seifer coughed.

"You two are going to kill yourselves over the stupid remote." Riku scolded.

"You're not my dad!" Pence shouted. "You can't tell me what to do!"

Riku glared at him and Pence immediantly shut his mouth. Riku dug into his pockets for a quarter. "Here, flip a coin for it."

"Heads we watch Hanna Montana, Tails we watch Gossip Girl." Pence said.

Seifer nodded and waited for Riku to toss the coin into the air. It landed on Heads.

"Yeah! Hannah triumphs over all!" Pence cheered.

Seifer socked him in the stomach. "Whatever." He grumbled, sitting down next to Sora.

Pence grabbed the remote and flipped the channel. His mouth dropped. He had missed his show. It was a new one too!

"Seifer you idiot!" he yelled.

"What'd you call me!?" Seifer hissed.

"You made me miss my show!" Pence snapped.

"Good. Now we're both unhappy." Seifer said.

Pence glared at him, and then sat down.

Riku sighed. He was glad that he wasn't their roommate, otherwise he would have gone insane. "Hows the sweater coming along?" He asked Seifer to ease off the tension.

Seifer went over to a desk and pulled out a brown, scratchy looking knit sweater. "Here it is." He smiled, clearly proud of his work.

"Oh," Sora began. "It's nice.. I'm sure she'll like it." He lied. It was the ugliest thing he had ever seen! It looked like something a scarecrow would wear.

"Are you kidding me?" Pence snorted. "It's crap!"

Seifer glared and shoved the sweater back into the drawer. "What'd you get Kairi?" He asked bitterly.

Pence bent down over a shopping bag and pulled out a pink hoodie. "It's made out of fleece too." He said.

Seifer rolled his eyes. "What about you, What'd you buy Namine?" He asked Roxas.

"A sketchpad. She's always drawing." He replied. "Oh, and a pencil."

"You guys didn't even think about buying a something for me to give to Ollette?" Seifer asked.

"You said you had it covered." Sora pointed out.

"Thanks a lot guys. Now I HAVE to give her the twenty dollars." He mumbled. "Who's bright idea was it to knit her a sweater anyway?"

Pence whistled and pretended to look innocent.

**Christmas**

Yuffie stirred in her seat waiting to get her present. "Come on I want my present now!" She hissed.

"Calm down." Yuna whispered while opening her gift. It was from Axel. "Gee...thanks...It's a Christian Bible." She said with a hint of dissapointment.

"I figured that it'd be useful, since you're into religion and all that." Axel replied.

"It would be useful if I was Christian. I'm a Protestant." She said.

Axel bit his lip. "If you ever think about switching Relgions, at least you'll have a bible for it." He tried to smile.

Zexion handed an envelope to Demyx. "Here it's a-" He began.

"Don't tell me! is it an LTD Guitar!?" Demyx asked excitedly.

Zexion sighed. "Can a guitar fit inside an envelope?"

"Is it the new guitar hero?" He asked.

"Just open it." Zexion ordered.

Demyx ripped the envelope opened and found a string inside. "Thanks, how'd you know I needed one of these?" He asked.

"You cried about it all week when you broke that string on your guitar. How could I not forget? You kept me awake the whole time." Zexion replied.

Wakka walked over to Larxene to hand her her gift. Larxene took the gift from him and rattled it to hear the contents. "Oh you shouldn't have!" She cried. She pulled out the shoes and then frowned. "You really shouldn't have." She said dissapointed. They were basketball shoes alright, but they were mens basketball shoes and they so happened to be Wakka's size.

"Since you said that, I'll take them back." Wakka grinned. Larxene rolled her eyes and handed them to him. _'Why did I have to get him?'_ she thought.

"Here you go, Yuffie." Demyx said happily giving her a large box. He looked at Axel who had told him to give that to her.

"Wow. They're amazing! how did you afford all these designer things?" Yuffie asked.

"Uhhh...discount?" He lied. He had no idea how Axel got them.

Selphie walked over to take a look at them. "That top is cute, it's look exactly like my- Demyx these are my clothes!" She yelled.

"What!?" He looked for Axel's help.

"It's not like you ever wore them anyway." Axel said.

"True." Selphie mumbled. "I guess it's okay. I mean, I do need to get rid of some things in my closet."

Namine sat patiently waiting to get her gift. She was hoping that Roxas wasn't her Secret Santa. She noticed Roxas walking over to her. She frowned. It was him.

Roxas looked away shyly and handed her a box. It was wrapped in newspaper. Namine looked at him, and then opened the gift. It was a new sketchpad and a pencil. A charcoal pencil. She smiled at him. She loved it, she'd been dying for a new one! "Thanks. I thought you were gonna get me something crappy." She said.

Roxas looked at her, surprised. "You like it?" He asked.

Namine nodded.

"Good. You better like it cause that sketchpad wasn't cheap." He smiled. For a moment, the two just stared into each other's eyes.

Riku interrupted the two. "Um..I bought you a gift." He said.

"Oh." Namine said. For some reason she felt irked by the fact that he ruined a moment with her and Roxas.

He handed her the box, which was carefully wrapped in gold. She ripped it up and opened a black box that contained a sapphire necklace. "It's beautiful." She said.

Roxas rolled his eyes and left. He knew he couldn't compete with Riku. Why bother?

"Here, I'll put it on you." Riku said, taking the necklace and putting it around her neck.

Kairi noticed and smiled. Namine smiled back at her. "It looks nice on you." Riku commented.

Kairi tapped Riku on the shoulder and gave him his present. "I didn't know what to give you, since you've got everything you could want." She smiled.

Riku smiled and opened the gift. It was a pair of Sunglasses. "I'll remember to bring them for vacation." He smiled.

Larxene walked over shyly towards Axel. "Umm...I got you something." She said.

Axel looked up and took the present from her hand. "It's not something nasty, is it?" He asked.

"No, I actually think you'll...like it." She said looking away.

Axel opened it to find two tickets to his favorite band, linkin park. "Thanks.," He said with a small smile on his face. "These are good seats too, I owe you one, these are probably pretty expensive." He said.

"Yeah they kinda were." Larxene replied.

"What's the second ticket for?" He asked.

"Well..If you want to bring a certain someone with you." Larxene said hinting at herself.

"Oh right. Hey Demyx, we're going to a linking park concert next week." He called. Demyx cheered. The two of them were linkin park fans.

Larxene sighed. If only he knew. Yuffie saw the look on her face and patted her gently on the back. "Don't worry, he'll come to his senses soon."

Everyone was happy with the gifts they got. Well most of them were. Larxene, Ollette, and Seifer weren't too happy with theirs.

"I didn't even get anything!" Larxene said.

"I have this ugly sweater!" Ollette said. Seifer coughed. "Which is why I like it!" she lied.

"Selphie gave me her stupid ugg boots." Seifer grumbled.

The last to recieve his gift was Zexion, who had been sitting patiently in his seat. Rikku walked up to him with a big smile on her face.

"You're going to love it." She smiled, handing him the present.

Zexion opened it reluctantly. The box contained a journal that had his name engraved on it. He smiled weakly. "Uh...thanks." He said.

Rikku's smile faded. He didn't like it. "I could get you another gift if you want." She said softly.

Zexion shook his head. "The gift doesn't matter. Nothing can change my mind about Christmas." He said firmly.

"You don't mean that." Rikku said sadly. "I'm not done showing you how great Christmas can be."

"You're not doing a very good job of it." He said rather coldly.

Rikku slumped her shoulders. Yuna glared at him. "On Christmas day?" She mouthed.

Zexion didn't mean to put her down, but what right did they have to force him to feel the way they wanted him to?

The group had decided to meet up at Axel's house at five o' clock. Right now everyone was getting ready to board a train home. Everyone Except for Zexion, who stayed put in his room. His parent's weren't going to be there anyway, they were too busy on a business trip. He lounged on his bed staring at the ceiling until he fell asleep.

Zexion didn't know how long he was asleep, but a chill entered the room and woke him up. His eyes opened slowly and adjusted to the dark. Before him, he saw a man with a red suit on. He had black hair, with some gray in it. (looks like auron)

Zexion jumped. "Don't rape me!" He cried.

The man rolled his eyes. "I'm the ghost of Christmas past! I'm not here to rape you. Besides, you're too scrawny for me." He said eyeing him up and down.

"The ghost of what?" Zexion repeated.

"I thought they said that you were smart?" He asked.

"I am!" Zexion said. "It's just that this can't be happening. Ghosts are not real." He replied.

"That's what you think. Now come." He grabbed him by the hand.

"Where are we going?" Zexion asked.

"To the past!" The ghost said.

**Christmas of 1998**

Zexion found himself wandering the streets of his neighborhood. "You took me home?" He asked the ghost.

"Yup." He said, motioning him forward.

Zexion peered into his house through the windows. "Is that me?" He asked, pointing to a silver haired six year old boy.

"That was you before you went on a diet." The ghost said pointing out that he was overweight as a kid. "You used to be so happy." He said. "Even your parents were happy at the time."

Zexion smiled to himself as he watched himself open the gifts with a huge smile on his face. He noticed that his parents were here and enjoying spending time home.

The ghost took his hand once more and led him inside the house. Zexion could hear christmas carrols being played on the radio. Everyone had big smiles on their faces and looked like they were having fun. The ghost took him upstairs where they watched another scene in Zexion's life being played out.

**Christmas of 2004**

A twelve year old Zexion sat by his desk reading a book. There was a girl in the room. She had short blond hair and blue green eyes. She was a 12 year old Larxene.

"Zexion, I've had it with you!" She yelled. "All you ever do is read your stupid book! It's Christmas and if you can't enjoy it and be happy then we can't be together anymore!"

"I am happy. With or without you." A twelve year old Zexion said without looking up from his book.

Zexion looked at his twelve year old self. "Wow. I can't believe I ever Liked Larxene!" he said to himself.

"Fine, we're through." Larxene said, storming out of the room.

The twelve year old Zexion hadn't even stirred. He just flipped through the pages of the book as if nothing had happened.

"Shit, was I really like that?" Zexion asked. He turned to the ghost, but he was no where in sight. "Hey, where'd you go?"

The whole room was swallowed in darkness, and before him, a new figure appeared. He wore all red, and his face was hidden in wraps. (looks like DiZ)

"Who're you know?" Zexion asked, frightened.

"I'm the ghost of Christmas present." The figure said. As he said this, the room lighted up and they were outside of Axel's house.

"Is it really five o clock already?" Zexion asked looking at his watch.

"Yes. And you're friends are all waiting for you." The ghost said, pushing him towards the window.

Zexion peeked through the window to find all his friends enjoying and opening presents. "They don't need me around." Zexion said. "They're having fun without me."

The ghost pointed to Rikku, who had a sadness in her eyes. "Is he here yet?" She asked Tidus. He shook his head. She looked even more deflated.

"Aww don't do that." Zexion said as if she could hear him. "Don't make me look like the bad guy!" he said.

"Look over there." The ghost said.

Zexion looked into the direction he was pointing at. Demyx was playing his guitar merrily. "He really appreciated your gift. Doesn't it make you feel good that you made one person happy?"

Zexion shrugged. "Eh, I guess it sorta does."

"And look over there. There's your ex girlfriend." He pointed to Larxene.

Zexion nearly gagged. "I was young! I didn't know any better!" He hissed. She watched Axel, with gleaming eyes.

"No." He said.

"Way." The ghost replied.

"Dude, that's wrong! If she asks him out it'll be like a dude going out with another dude." He moaned.

"You can't help who you fall in love with right?" The ghost asked.

"Please. She's not in love." Zexion replied.

"Whatever you say." The ghost muttered.

Watching them, Zexion almost wanted to be there. Music was playing, everyone laughed and joked. Even Axel was letting himself loose. "Wish you could join them right?" The ghost asked.

"No, I hate Christmas and Parties." Zexion said bitterly.

"Suit yourself. This may be the last time you get to join them." The ghost said mysteriously.

"What?" Zexion asked. It was too late. The room dimmed and once again, Zexion found himself with another figure. His shadow was huge and he had very pointed ears. Zexion did not see him himself, but he was guessing that he was a giant.

"Let me guess, are you the ghost of christmas past?" The figure nodded.

"Where are you taking me this time?" Zexion asked.

The figure snapped his fingers and they were at the hospial. Zexion looked around. He saw his friends waiting patienly outside the Emergency Room. Sadness filled their eyes.

"What's going on?" Zexion asked. The figure stood by the shadows and motioned for him to go forward.

Zexion gulped, afraid of what he might find. He entered the room and there before him lay a sleeping Zexion. Tubes were attached to him and the doctor mumbled something into the nurse's ear. Zexion couldn't hear what they were saying, but it didn't look to good. The nurse nodded in understandment and walked outside to tell the news. Zexion follwed her out to hear what was going on.

"I'm afraid that your friend here has suffered a tremendous blow to the head and has become mentally retarded." The women said.

"NO!!" Zexion yelled. "Is this my future? I'm going to be dumb?" He cried.

He looked for the shadow and ran towards him. "Please! I have plans to go to a good college! There must be a way to help me out!" Zexion pleaded, clinging on to the figures cloak.

"Let go!" The figure squeaked in a shrill voice. "I said unhand me!"

Zexion glared. "Not until you tell me how to fix this!"

"Do you know who you're messing with?" The voice squeaked.

Zexion pulled the ghost forward. "Hey what's the big idea!" The ghost cried, his hood falling off.

"Mickey Mouse? Is that you?" He hid a laugh.

The ghost shoved the hood back on. "I got fired from disney and now I'm working as the ghost of christmas future." He explained. "The only way you can change the future is to change your ways." He said.

"Then I'll do it! Just take me back home!" Zexion pleaded. A burst of cold air passed through him and he blacked out.

Zexion woke up with cold sweat running down his forehead. He gasped and looked at the time. It was half an hour before 5. He still had time, he thought. He ran down the stairs and raced out of the building.

**Meanwhile**

"Guess he's not coming." Rikku said sadly.

"Don't let him get you down. You can try again next year." Selphie said.

"I know. But I really wanted him to be here you know." Rikku said.

Selphie understood. Rikku really wanted to prove to him that Christmas was a wonderful time of year.

Just then, the door bursted open and outside stood a frost bitten Zexion. "Zexion!" Rikku cried and hurried him in.

"You made it!" Wakka smiled. He pushed him towards the fire place to cool him off. "What happened to you?"

"The train stopped halfway and I had to walk three miles over here." He said through quick breaths.

"We'd rather have you half frozen to death than not here at all!" Demyx smiled.

"I hope I didn't miss much." Zexion said.

"You missed Namine and Roxas' fighting. And of course, Pence and Seifer wrestled for the last piece of ham." Yuna said.

"There's still time for Christmas carolling." Rikku sang.

Zexion rolled his eyes but agreed to go anyway. "Hey Rikku," He said.

"Hm?" She turned to him.

"I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." He said.

"I know you didn't." She smiled.

Just then an explosion of cheers rang out in the dining hall. "What is it now?" Axel grumbled as he got up from his seat. The grop hurried to see what the commotion was all about.

"You stepped under the misstle toe, you two HAVE to kiss each other!" Pence said.

"Who made up that stupid rule!?" Hayner said.

Ollette was quite. _'Kiss me you fool!' _she thought to herself.

"Do it. Do it. Do it!" The group sang merrily.

Hayner looked at a red faced Ollette. He liked her as a friend and nothing more. He smiled nervously and leaned forward to kiss her. Ollette had been anticipating this moment and now here it was. She felt his lips press against hers.

Fuu and Namine grinned at each other. Seifer noticed it and asked Fuu what that was about. "It's girl buisness." She said. Seifer frowned. The two didn't keep secrets from each other.

Hayner looked at Ollette. There was something different about her. Her appearance hadn't change, it was how he felt about her. Kissing her made him feel all tingly inside. He didn't like it one bit. The two had been friends for the longest of time. Ollette probably didn't feel that way about him.

"So how was it?" Riku grinned.

"Eh..It was okay." He lied.

Ollette's face fell. Okay? He said it as if that was all it was? Maybe to him it was, but not for her. She felt sparks fly when she kissed him. Ollette scolded herself. How many times did she have to have her heart broken by this ass hole? She decided that she wasn't going to put up with him anymore.

"I've had better." She murmered and turned away from him.

Hayner felt as if he had just been punched in the gut. Was she mad at him or something? Well sorry if he wasn't a good kisser!

Kairi frowned. What was that? she mouthed.

Ollette avoided her eyes and just stared at the floor angrily. The group had moved on to various activities. After they sang carolls, they played in the snow for awhile.

"My toes are freezing!" Tidus exclaimed.

"I can't feel my hands!" Demyx cried, showing his purple frost bitten hands.

Rikku laughed. "I told you to wear gloves."

Zexion laughed softly. This really was the best christmas that he ever had.


	8. Twilight Town's Cutest Couple

Chapter Eight

"Are we there yet?" Demyx called from the backseat. They were driving up to Sora's house to spend New Years there. Tidus was driving which meant that everyone HAD to wear their seatbelts. Anyone who had ever been in the same car as Tidus would know that he was a dangerous and speedy driver. He stomped on the gas as soon as the light turned green, and when it was yellow he sped up, thinking that he could make it.

"For the last time, NO!" Larxene yelled. She rubbed her temples, she was getting a big head ache from him. "How much longer do we have to put up with him?" She asked Sora.

"Just thirty more minutes." He said.

"Thirty fucking minutes? you're kidding right?" Larxene said.

"Fraid not." Sora smiled weakly.

"I swear, if Demyx says-" She started to say.

"Are we there yet?" Demyx yelled.

"Agh!!" Larxene cried in aggravation.

"Poor Larx." Yuna said. "Here, take this." She handed Larxene ear plugs.

"Thanks." Larxene smiled and shoved them in her ears happily.

"You know what would pass the time?" Selphie asked.

"Oh no." Seifer groaned. "Not that!"

"Let's have a sing along!" She cried.

"Good idea selph!" Pence smiled.

"What song?" Ollette asked. She was in a much better mood than yesterday, however her heart was not fully pieced back together quite yet.

"how about the wheel's on the bus?" She asked. "I mean, I know were in a car but they're the same thing right?"

Namine shrugged. She didn't like singing at all. What she didn't like even more was that Roxas was sitting right behind her. Every so often he kept kicking her seat. "Would you knock it off?" She snapped turning around to face him.

Roxas just smiled. "Are you annoyed?"

"Yeah." She hissed.

"Good." He grinned, kicking her chair again.

Namine let out an scream of aggravation and slumped back in her seat. Fuu smiled and whispered to Selphie, "Nows a good time to start singing."

Selphie nodded and inhaled. "THE WHEELS ON THE BUS GO ROUND AND ROUND ROUND AND ROUND!" she sang.

Selphie sang so horribly, Tidus had to halt to a stop. "Stop the noise!" He yelled. "It's making my ears bleed!"

"Keep singing." Yuna encouraged her.

"She better not or else we won't be able to get to Sora's house any time soon and we'll have to put up with THAT" Tidus said pointing to Demyx.

"Fine." Selphie pouted. "Whatever you say, Teddy!"

Tidus groaned. He hated being called Teddy. Wakka smirked at him from the passenger seat. "Shut up," He muttered and started up the car again.

They had only 4 more miles to go before they reached Sora's house. He lived all the way in the middle class section of Twilight Town, whereas Axel lived in the richer more glamorous side. Though he didn't act snobby or dress like one would expect, he always bought the finest cars every year.

"Hey Demyx, I think you broke a record." Axel said. "You haven't opened your mouth in 5 minutes."

He notice Demyx grabbing his crotch and squirming in his seat. "I told you to use the bathroom!" He snapped.

"I thought I could hold it!" He squeaked.

Axel groaned, "Guys, we have to make a stop."

"Huh? why?" Sora asked.

"Dumbass over here thought that he could hold it until we got there and now he's on the brink of peeing in his pants." He explained.

"There's no rest stop anywhere near." Tidus pointed out.

"Guess you'll have to pee in the bushes." Axel snickered.

Tidus pulled over and Demyx rushed out into the woods. Tidus looked at the mirror and met Yuna's gaze. Wakka noticed and snapped him out of it. "Hey man what do you think you're doing!?" He asked.

"Nothing! What's wrong with you?" Tidus responded.

"For a second there I thought you were staring at Yuna." He whispered.

"Don't be silly. I've moved on from her." He scoffed.

"Mmkay. You better be telling the truth man." Wakka said slinking back to his seat.

Tidus tried telling himself over and over again, but somehow he couldn't believe it. Did he really still Love Yuna?

Demyx hurried back in pleased that he didn't feel like his penis would burst. "Let's go!" He exclaimed. "I wanna get there soon!"

Tidus started up the car and checked the mirror to see if Yuna was still gazing at him. She was now turned to Ollette and Kairi.

Hayner watched Ollette from the corner of his eyes. _'Stop it!'_ he scolded himself. She's been your friend since pre-k. Nothing is ever going to happen between her and me. _'But I wish something would'_ He slapped himself.

Zexion noticed and asked, "What did you do that for?"

"Oh." He blushed. "Uh...There was a bug on me."

Zexion stared at him hard. He didn't believe it, but he shrugged it off and continued writing in the journal Rikku had given him.

Roxas sat in between Pence and Seifer so that they wouldn't bicker over something stupid. "Hey, were almost here." Pence said.

"No duh, captain obvious." Seifer said. "Were in Sora's driveway."

"Why do you always have to do that? Why do you have to always put me down?" Pence snapped.

"I'm not putting you down. I just like to point out your mistakes." Seifer said.

"Well it's getting annoying." Pence grumbled.

"Whine whine whine! That's all I ever hear from you!" Seifer exclaimed.

"Me Me Me! don't you ever stop to think about MY feelings?" Pence cried dramatically.

"Quit it you guys! Save it for CLASS DEBATES." Roxas said. The group exited from the hummer and walked along the path that led to the Patio.

Sora jingled the keys in his hands and unlocked the door. He motioned for Kairi and the rest to go before him. After everyone was inside, he locked the door.

"Cozy." Axel said, scanning the room.

"Not bad." Roxas commented. He looked at his watch. "Wow. It's still too early to party."

"That's okay. We still need to get the stuff anyway. Come on Wakka, were going to get you the perfect disguise!" Yuffie giggled, dragging him out the door.

Seifer made himself at home and sank into the couch beside Sora. "Are you gonna tell her yet?" He asked.

"Soon. If I don't chicken out that is." Sora whispered back.

"I'm not gonna let you wuss out on this one." Seifer grinned.

"What're you guys talking about?" Selphie asked.

"None of your business!" Seifer hissed.

"Let me guess, Sora is going to tell Kairi today?" Selphie guessed.

"How'd you know?" Sora asked.

"Puh-lease. It's written all over your face, plus I read your diary." She said quickly.

Sora blushed. He had to find a better hiding place for his journal. "Just don't say anything to her okay?" He pleaded.

"I won't." Selphie smiled.

"You seriously trust her?" Seifer asked.

"Well...yeah." Sora said unsure of himself.

"She's got the biggest mouth in all of Twilight Town I tell ya." Seifer informed him.

**Meanwhile**

Wakka stared at himself in the mirror. He was dressed in a tight black shirt and dark blue jeans. His hair was slicked back, and Yuffie had added a fake orange mustache on to his face. He was also heavily covered in Make up. "You sure this will work?" He asked.

"Yeah, make up always makes a person look older." Yuffie replied.

"If you say so." Wakka said, pulling a cap on and entering the store. He rummaged through the place looking for coors and some vodka.

Once he had picked up enough for his friends, he lifted them onto the counter to pay. "How much?" He said in a gruff voice.

The cashier just stared at him. "twenty dollars"

"twenty dollars for all this? I don't have that much with me!" Wakka cried forgetting his deep, gruff voice.

"Well, you bought quite a lot of stuff." The cashier replied.

"Bull shit. I'll give you ten dollars and a piece of gum." Wakka tried his hand at bargaining.

Yuffie watched in horror. She ran in to check on him. "Way to act like a mature adult!" She whispered.

"I'm just playin!" He quickly added. "Gimme some munny." He said to Yuffie.

"How much?" She asked.

"Twenty." He replied.

"What? for this crap!?" She exclaimed.

"Take it or leave it." The cashier said boredly.

"I'll give you twelve dollars for it." Yuffie said.

"Twenty." The man said.

"Thirteen."

"twenty"

"fourteen"

"twenty"

"fifteen"

"twenty"

"sixteen"

"twenty"

"eighteen?"

"twenty"

"twenty. and that's as far as I go!" Yuffie yelled.

"Sold." the cashier said bagging the items.

"Sucker." Yuffie said walking out of the store.

"Uh..you realize that you paid for the amount he asked for right?" Wakka said.

Yuffie's face fell. She had just remembred that she was the worst bargainer alive.

**Meanwhile**

Namine and the girls were huddled in one room and the boys in the other. "Kairi, you're going to be so happy when I tell you this." Selphie smiled.

"Really? tell me!" Kairi pleaded.

"I just heard that Sora is going to confess his love to you." She grinned.

Kairi let out a squeal and started dancing. "Oh my god! I've been waiting for this moment all my life! When's he going to tell me?" She asked.

Selphie shrugged. "I don't know. Just pretend that you don't know about it, okay?"

Kairi felt so giddy inside. She now officially had everything she could ever want. Loyal friends, a Wonderul family, and Sora.

"And I've got good news for you too Ollette." Selphie added.

"Hm? what is it?" Ollette asked.

"I saw Hayner staring all googly eyed at you!" Selphie smiled.

"Ew." She said bitterly.

Fuu raised an eyebrow. "What're you talking about, you like Hayner."

"I LIKED him. I don't know why I did. He's a jerk." Ollette said.

"Was it because of last night?" Yuna asked.

Ollette hesitated before answering. "Yeah."

"He's just trying to hide his emotions. He likes you." Rikku assured her.

"He has a funny way of showing it." Ollette mumbled. "I've moved on. I don't know what I ever liked about that jerk."

"You don't mean that." Namine said.

"I do," Ollette said stubornly. "I've sworn off of love. I don't need it anyway. Right Larxene? we don't need a guy to make us happy!?" She looked at Larxene who looked at her feet sheepishly.

"No...." Ollette groaned.

"I can't help it. Everything he does makes me feel.....giddy." Hearing those words come out of her mouth made her want to gag.

"Who is it!?" Kairi asked excitedly.

"How long have you liked him?" Namine asked, surprised as well.

"It's A-Axel." She forced herself to say his name. "And I've liked him since the beginning of the year." She looked away in shame.

"That's great!" Selphie cried. "You two would look cute together!"

"Please don't say that." Larxene whined.

"Why not?" Namine said. "It's the truth."

Larxene blushed. "Can we move on?" She asked.

"So who do you like?" Selphie asked Yuna. "Now that you and Tidus are over?" She asked, trying to hide her pleasure.

"I'm not ready to date. Me and Tidus have been together since middle school." Yuna replied. "I don't think I'll be dating again until college." She smiled.

"You can't be serious?" Rikku said. "There's plenty of hot guys around!" She cried.

"Thinking about how much history me and Tidus have, it's hard imagining what life would be like with another guy." Yuna replied.

"Fuu, who do you like?" Yuna asked, changing the subject.

"I think we all know." Namine grinned.

"Seifer? You two do hang out a lot." Larxene said.

"So why don't you make a move?" Rikku asked.

"Cause that's the guy's job!" Fuu exclaimed.

"Hate to break it to you, but Seifer's never going to make the move. He's always late. He thinks he has all the time in the world to ask you." Selphie said.

Fuu tried to smile. She knew it was true. "So what? I should ask him out?" She found that weird since she was a traditional type of girl.

"No. You don't HAVE to ask him. I've got a plan that will MAKE him ask you out." Selphie grinned.

"And whats that?" Fuu said with interest.

"You can't wait for him forever right?" Selphie began.

Actually, she could. But for arguments sake, she nodded her head. Selphie continued on saying, "So ask someone out and make sure that he knows that you're taken. He'll get jealous and probably try to scare the guy away and then poof! once he gets the guy to break up with you, he's all yours."

"You sure that will work?" Fuu asked.

"Have my plans ever failed?" Selphie replied.

"A lot of times, actually." Kairi chimed in.

"That was all in the past. Besides, I have a new mind set. I'm more mature and brainier." Selphie smiled.

"A more mature and brainier Selphie?" Kairi scoffed. "That'll be the day when Demyx decides to quit trying to get discovered by an agency."

**Meanwhile**

The boys camped out in Sora's room, which was neat and tidy thanks to his clean freak mom."So when're you going to ask her out exactly?" Tidus asked.

"At midnight." Sora replied.

"And he's not going to chicken out this time." Seifer added.

"He better not." Axel said.

Roxas wasn't listening much to their conversation, who cared about who dated who anyway? sure he was happy for Sora, but sometimes it seemed like his whole life was wrapped around Kairi and Roxas wasn't so sure he wanted his life to be like that. Besides, he couldn't even date girls because of his stupid allergy.

"Riku, when're you going to ask out Namine?" Zexion asked.

"When the time is right." Riku replied simply. Roxas secretly wished that the "right time" would never happen.

"It seems like everyone's going to be hooking up soon." Pence said. "When are you going to ask Fuu out?" He asked Seifer.

"Soon, I guess." Seifer wasn't sure himself. He liked Fuu. A lot. But he knew she would always be there for him. He didn't need to rush things.

"I think you might lose her, if you don't hurry up and ask." Demyx said.

"I won't lose her," Seifer replied. "She likes me back, and she'll wait for me." He said with confidence.

"How about you Axel? Do you have a girl you've been thinking to ask out?" Zexion asked.

"No. I don't think that I'm ready to tie myself down to just one girl." He replied.

"I think you're scared to fall in love." Riku taunted.

"Me? I'm not scared of anything." Axel said defensively.

"Except for a little thing called love." Riku retorted.

"Just because I don't go around wanting to tie myself to a girl like you guys, does not make me chicken!" Axel snapped.

"It only makes sense. You've never gone out with a girl since Aerith." Riku pointed out.

"That's because I realized how good it was to be free once I broke up with her." Axel replied.

"YOU didn't break up with her. SHE broke up with you." Riku reminded him.

"Whatever." Axel grumbled.

The door bursted open and Yuffie and Wakka walked in to greet them. "We brought the Alcohol, so drink up!" Yuffie smiled thowing everyone cans of beer.

Zexion looked at his watch. "It's five o' clock. I guess it's okay to start the party."

They heard the doorbell ring. "Who could that be?" Sora asked making his way to the door.

"Heard about the party, should be good right?" Leon asked entering into the house. Cloud and a bunch of other kids from their school followed him in.

"What are they doing here?" Yuffie asked.

Sora shrugged. More and more people kept filing in. "How'd you hear about the party?" He asked Leon.

"I heard it from Marluxia. Don't ask me how he knew about it." Leon replied.

Sora looked at his friends and shrugged. "There's room to spare." He said.

While the guys were partying and socializing, Roxas kicked back in the corner drinking punch. Selphie noticed this and walked over to him, remembering not to touch him. "Quit hogging all the punch," Selphie smiled. "Why aren't you enjoying?"

"I am enjoying." Roxas lied. It wasn't much fun watching all his friends dance and flirt. It wasn't fair that he had to have a stupid rash thanks to a certain someone.

"You're lying." Selphie said.

"Is it that obvious?" Roxas asked.

Selphie nodded her head. "Now get your bum up and lets dance at least an arms length away!" Selphie said.

"No thanks. I don't think that's such a good idea." Roxas replied.

"Get up or I'll touch you!" She threatened.

Roxas sighed and got up. "You guys keep using my allergy against me." He muttered.

Namine sat in the corner with Ollette, sipping their drinks. Namine never had alcohol before, but she figured that she would give it a cringed. It wasn't tasty at all. Ollette didn't like it either, so they left their drinks to the side.

"Look at Kairi, she looks like she's going to pee in her pants." Ollette laughed. "She's anxious for Sora to ask her out."

"They're actually going to be an item and on new years eve, that's real special." Namine commented.

"When do you think Riku's going to pop the question?" Ollette asked her.

"I don't know. Sometimes I can't even tell if he likes me or not." She stared at the floor.

"What do you mean?" Ollette asked.

"When he looks at me, it's more like a brotherly type of thing. But the way he acts around me, is something a boyfriend would do." Namine said. "If that makes sense." She added.

"Riku's complex. That's what drew Kairi in." Ollette said.

"Kairi liked Riku?" Namine asked shocked.

Ollette nodded. "He liked her too. But at the same time, she liked Sora. Things got complicated and she wound up choosing Sora over him."

"He must have been heartbroken. I mean, Sora's his best friend." Namine said.

"He ran away from campus that day and didn't come back for three days." Ollette replied.

"That's when he found out about the place." Namine said sofly to herself.

"What?" Ollette asked.

"Oh, nothing." Namine smiled.

Selphie rushed over to the two, Roxas following behind her. "Namine come here!" Selphie pulled her to her feet.

"What are you doing?" Namine asked.

"Dance with Roxas! it's for the new year, new start, new everything!" Selphie explained.

Namine looked at Roxas who looked just as reluctant as she was. "Do we have to? Can't we just toast to each other?" she asked.

"It's not like I want to dance with you. Selphie threatened to trigger my allergy if I didn't." Roxas said.

"Well she can't get to me that easy." Namine said stubornly.

"Oh yes I can." Selphie grinned mischievously. "If you don't, I'll tell Riku about your dream."

"You wouldn't." Namine said with panic in her voice.

"I would." Selphie smiled.

Namine groaned and got up to her feet. "Well come on," Namine said to Roxas. "Let's just get it over with."

Roxas smiled grimly and tried to ease off the tension. The two made their way to the dance floor, trying not to draw attention but it was inevitable. Everyone had their eyes on them. Namine didn't like the attention at all, what if Riku saw her with him?

The song suddenly ended and a slow song came on to their dismay. "Crap." Roxas smiled.

Namine smiled back too. "How are we supposed to dance with your condition?"

"I guess we don't." Roxas said, faking relief. Oddly enough he was actually looking forward to dancing with her.

"Oh." Namine said slightly dissapointed. Okay, a lot dissapointed.

"Oh yes you guys are!" Selphie jumped in. "I don't care if you two have to 'air dance' or whatever, but you have to dance!"

Roxas smiled slightly, and held his arm around her waist. He was careful not to actually hold her. Namine did the same, not actually making contact with him. The two swayed akwardly to the music, laughing at themselves.

"Wow. We look stupid." Namine blurted.

"Yeah. I guess this is another one of those rare things I agree with you on." He chuckled.

The two smiled at each other, cherishing another rare moment that the two didn't fight. Namine noticed how blue his eyes were, and wondered why she'd never noticed that. Maybe it was because she'd never been this close to him. Without noticing it, she rested her head on his chest, and he rested his arm around her waist.

The song had ended, but the two hadn't moved. Riku had to break in. He tapped Roxas' shoulder, "Do you mind if I borrow her?" He asked.

"No. She's all yours." He said with a hint of reluctance in his voice.

Namine smiled, but for some reason she felt irritated that Riku had to interrupt them. Roxas walked over to his friends, who were busy playing beer pong.

It was Zexion vs. Demyx. Zexion had lousy aim, but he was smart and could come up with a strategy easily. Demyx wasn't smart enough to think of a game plan, but he had pretty good aim.

"I'm betting on Demyx." Seifer said.

"I think Zexion has it in the bag." Axel said.

"Wanna make a bet?" Seifer asked. "Forty dollars Demyx wins."

"Okay, I'm in." Axel says with confidence.

**Meanwhile**

Hayner scanned the room for Ollette. He spotted her sitting alone in the corner. _'God, she looks so pretty.'_ He thought to himself. Without thinking, he began walking towards her.

Ollette hadn't noticed Hayner at first, but then he asked her in a shaky voice, "Hey Ollette, I uh, noticed that you were sitting alone and I thought that you might be lonely so I came over here to, uh..ask you if you want to maybe dance with me?"

Ollette raised her eyebrow, "Do I look lonely to you?"

"No. No, I just thought that you would want some company." He said nervously.

"Well I don't." She replied.

"You sure?" He asked.

"Did I stutter?" She said rather coldly.

"Okay." Hayner said trying to smile. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and left her alone. He turned around quick enough for her not to see how dissapointed he was.

Ollette noticed that Fuu was watching her. She frowned at her to let her know that she was being mean to Hayner. Ollette shrug it off. Sure she felt bad about waving him off like that, but how many times did HE wave her off like that? She always held his books for him and he didn't even give the slightest notion that he appreciated her for that. There was also the time where she had comforted him in his time of need when his pet ferret had died. After that, he cheered himself up by going on a date with a girl named Xion. Ollette always gave up her seat for him at the subway if there were no seats left because she knew how hard he worked at his job. He repayed her by flirting to the girl next to him. Things weren't all bad with him though. There were some times when he did show her that he cared about her. That he actually knew she existed. There was a time when some kids running around had accidently knocked her over and sprained her leg and Hayner was the one to chase after them and make them apologize to her. Also, he was the one who ditched class to talk to her when she was ill in bed. Hayner wasn't always disregarding her, but that didn't change anything. He had broken her heart and that was that.

"Hayner? What's up with you?" Roxas asked noticing how down he was.

Hayner shrugged and tried to hide his dejection. "Nothing. I'm fine, really."

"You don't look like it." Roxas said.

"I'm smiling. Do I look sad to you?" He asked putting on a fake smile.

"You're faking it," Roxas knew Hayner all too well. "Is it Ollette?"

"No...Maybe....Yeah." He resigned.

"Spill." Roxas ordered. He sat down on the coach and waved him to sit next to him.

Hayner sighed. He didn't LIKE opening up. He felt as though it made him seem weak. "Me and Ollette have been friends since...since forever," Hayner began. "When we kissed, I felt something I shouldn't be feeling. I think I like her."

"Is that it?" Roxas said. "If you like her, ask her out."

"I tried asking her to dance with me and she just turned me down. I think she's mad at me for some reason." Hayner replied.

"Mad at you? What for?" Roxas asked.

"I don't know. I didn't DO anything to piss her off!" Hayner exclaimed.

"Must be that time of year again." Roxas mumbled.

Hayner looked at Roxas with uncertainty. He wasn't sure that that was the case, but it did make feel better to think that she wasn't mad at him for some reason and the only reason why she was acting like that was because she had her period.

**Meanwhile**

Namine and Riku swayed to the music. Namine felt as though she was walking on air. Being with Riku made always made her feel this way. While they were dancing, Namine had noticed that Roxas was comforting Hayner. Riku noticed her watching them and said, "Roxas is a real nice guy. He's always there for you."

"So I hear." Namine replied."I never thought he was a nice guy, but seeing this made me change my mind. It's weird, I know." She smiled.

"Not as weird as the two of you dancing." Riku grinned.

"Oh that," Namine blushed. "His allergy made it impossible for me to actually make contact with him."

"No, not that. I saw you two holding each other. Like, making contact with each other." Riku replied.

Namine blushed. "..I guess I got lost in the music."

"The weird thing was, Roxas didn't break out in rashes." Riku said. "It's like he's cured or something."

"I hope so." Namine said. "It must suck for him not to be able to get close to a girl because of his condition."

Riku nodded. "I think he'll be happy to know that he's okay now. At least I hope he is."

**Meanwhile**

Sora looked at the clock. He was so nervous that he had locked himself in his room. He could put this off for another time right? The door opened unexpectedly and Seifer popped up. Sora was surprised, He thought that he had locked it.

"How'd you get in?" He asked.

"I live in the ghetto. lock picking is what I do." Seifer grinned.

Sora rolled his eyes. "Yeah right. What are you doing in my room? come to make sure that I don't chicken out?"

"Nah, I lost the bet to Axel and I owe him forty bucks. I was going to see if you had some cash hidden in your room," Seifer grinned. "Anyways, how're you holding up?" he asked.

"About that...I think I'll just wait a little longer before I tell her." Sora said avoiding his eyes.

"You're not doing that!" Seifer snapped. "You're going to man up and tell her, even if I have to make you!"

"But she'll be there waiting for me! we've been friends forever. Like you and Fuu. I have plenty of time to tell her!" Sora protested.

"Fuu and Kairi are different. Fuu's not going anywhere, but Kairi? She's waited for you for her whole life. I'm telling you, if you don't tell her now, you'll never have another chance to tell her." Seifer explained.

"And Fuu hasn't been waiting for you for her whole life?" Sora snapped.

"She'll wait for me no matter what. I know for a fact that she's not going anywhere." Seifer said.

"How do you know that?" Sora quipped. "I don't suppose she told you so."

"I just know it. We have something special." Seifer responded. Even when Fuu didn't say a thing, he knew what she was thinking and same went for her. He didn't have to say a thing for her to know what he had on his mind. The bond they had was something not even a millionaire could afford to buy in a friend.

Sora fixed his eyes on the floor, knowing he was right. Fuu and Seifer were one of those couples that didn't have to say or show anything to the world to let them know how much they liked each other. "Okay," He mumbled. "I'll do it."

Seifer beamed, "I knew you could do it."

"Let's hope I can come up with something smooth to say?" Sora smiled weakly.

"That's dreaming too big." Siefer replied.

**Meanwhile**

Larxene and Tidus watched with envious eyes as their crushes flirted and danced with someone that was not either of them. Axel was drunk and flirting with Tifa and Yuna was sandwhiched between Cloud and Leon.

"I tell you, if I didn't have a record with the cops, I would so strangle that girl!" Larxene proclaimed.

"And if I had the strength of a thousand men, I would totally beat those man whores up." Tidus added.

"What does she have that I don't?" Larxene asked.

"Nice hair, nice legs, nice smile, a perfect nose, oh and boobs." Tidus replied not taking his eyes off of Yuna for one second.

Larxene smacked him upside the head. "That was a rhetorical question!" She snapped, growing conscious of her body.

"I don't get it. She would never dance that way with me!" Tidus exclaimed. "She wouldn't do a lot of things with me, her boyfriend since seventh grade for crying out loud!"

"Funny how things work out." Larxene eyed Axel.

The two sighed. There was no way either of them could compete for their crush. Not when you had miss beauty queen and the two hottest guys in school to compare to.

"We have to do something." Tidus said finally.

"And what do you suppose we do exactly?" Larxene asked.

"We gotta make them jealous somehow." Tidus said.

"How? Do you know what were up against?" Larxene reminded him.

"I know that Yuna still wants me deep down. I saw her looking at me." Tidus replied.

Larxene shrugged. "It could be a look of hate."

"No, she was staring at me like the way she used to when we were still together." Tidus said.

"Okay, so what's the plan?" Larxene asked.

"We pretend to....hook up." Tidus said. "I know it's crazy, but it's just crazy enough to work!" He said quickly.

"I can see how it'll work for you, but how will that get me to....Axel." She still couldn't believe that she had told him that she had liked Axel. She blamed it on the alcohol.

"We pretend to be a couple and we barge in on their conversation. You can show her up on how much better you know Axel, and then Axel'll wish he was with you rather than with Tifa." Tidus said.

"It couldn't hurt to try. After all, that skank doesn't know anything about Axel." Larxene said.

**Meanwhile**

"It's almost midnight and he hasn't asked me yet!" Kairi said frantically.

"Give him more time. I'm sure he'll ask soon." Selphie said.

Rikku nodded. "You know how he is. He gets nervous easily."

"I know, I'm just so..so excited. I WANT him to ask me right NOW!" She said.

"You'll have to wait, princess." Fuu said.

Kairi sighed and flopped on the couch. She had to wait, but god couldn't he speed it up? She couldn't wait to spread the word that she, Kairi, was going out with Sora!

"Hey everybody, it's almost midnight in 3....2.....1!" Yuffie led the countdown.

Sora sucked in a big gulp of air and pushed himself forward. It was now or never, like Seifer told him. "K-Kairi." He said in a shaky voice.

"Hm?" Kairi said, trying to hide how happy she was. She knew exactly what was going to happen next.

"I..uh...I." Sora found it hard to just say it.

"You..?" Kairi motioned for him to go on.

Sora gulped, "I had a good time, what about you?" He said quickly and walked away.

Seifer pulled him by the back of his shirt and dragged him back towards Kairi. "You are not chickening out, you hear me?" He hissed.

Sora sighed and tried to calm down. The jitters were getting the best of him. He faced Kairi again, this time ready to confess. "Kairi, would you be mine?" He asked.

Kairi beamed. "Yes, yes I would!" She gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"Finally!" Ollette said. "It took you how many years to get the guts and ask her out?"

"seven years." Sora grinned.

"A toast to the newest couple!" Riku raised his glass.

**Meanwhile**

Larxene and Tidus walked together hand in hand and sat next to Axel and Tifa. "Oh hi there!" Tidus said.

Tifa waved and Axel nodded. "What are you two doing?" he asked.

"We came here to tell you that Larxene and I hooked up." Tidus replied.

Axel just laughed, "You and Larx? good one."

"No joke. We are going out. How do you feel about that?" Larxene asked.

"Seriously? if you guys are happy." He shrugged.

"Aw..what a nice guy." Tifa cooed.

Larxene rolled her eyes. "Yeah he's a real nice guy. He even robbed a blind man once."

"That was in the past. This is a new year." Tifa sniffed.

"So, what do you two have in common?" Tidus asked.

"I like participating in school activities." Tifa said.

"I don't." Axel replied.

"I like pop music." Tifa said.

"I like rock." Axel countered.

"Well....I like rock too. We like the same things" Tifa lied.

"Really? then what's his favorite band?" Larxene asked.

Tifa coughed and ignored the question. "What do you two have in common?"

"We both don't like the same people." Larxene smiled, hinting at her.

Tifa glared. "You two make a cute couple, right Axie?"

"Axie?" Axel spat out. "I DO pet names."

Larxene smiled, the plan was working out.

"He also doesn't like working and school work. But I bet you knew that." Larxene grinned.

"Of course I did." Tifa snapped. "You know what? I think someone's jealous?" she grinned mockingly.

"J-jealous? of what?" Larxene stammered.

"I think she's on to us!" Tidus mouthed to here.

Larxene kicked him from under the table and mouthed, "no duh!"

"Why don't we go upstairs, so we can have a litte more privacy?" Tifa asked.

"Now!? Can't we do that later?" Axel said.

"I said now!" Tifa snapped.

"No offense, but I really don't feel like going upstairs with you." Axel replied calmly. "But maybe Cloud or Leon would, they're always horny anyway."

Tifa glared at him and then stormed off. Tidus looked at Axel with bewilderment. "Dude. You just turned her down! what's wrong with you?"

Axel shrugged. "She was too demanding."

Larxene smiled, pleased that the plan had worked.

"Okay, well have fun. Me and Larx are going to talk to the trio now." Tidus said pointing to Yuna, Cloud, and Leon.

Axel nodded, and the two left. Yuffie had spotted him alone and sat down next to him. "You really think that they're a pair?" She asked him.

"No they're faking it to make Yuna and Me jealous." Axel replied.

"Did it work?" Yuffie asked.

"Me jealous of them? No. But they got what they wanted. I turned Tifa down." Axel said.

"You know what that means right?" Yuffie grinned and poked him in the shoulder playfully. "Larx likes you!"

Axel snorted. "Chyeah right. She's only looking out for me."

"Okaaaay. Don't say I didn't warn ya!" She smiled.

Axel rolled his eyes but managed to smile. "And here comes Reno."

Yuffie groaned. Reno was her crazy next door neighbor who was obsessed with her. "Hide me." She squeaked sliding under the table.

"Have you seen Yuffie?" Reno asked.

"Yeah, she ran inside the freezer." Axel said.

"Haha, nice try but I'm not falling for that one....again." Reno replied.

"She ran upstairs." Axel lied.

Reno nodded and headed for that direction.

"Thank you!" Yuffie said.

"Yeah whatever. Now you can't say that I never did anything for you." Axel replied.

The party was a success. Sora managed to ask the girl of his dreams to be his girlfriend, Axel was forty dollars richer, Tidus managed to make Yuna jealous, Larxene got Axel to turn Tifa down, and Roxas was able to forgive Namine for what she had done to him in the past. Maybe it was because he had learned to let go of the past that he was officially cured. Everyone was happy, all but two people and that was Ollette and Hayner. Ollette had spent the day wondering what she ever saw in Hayner, and Hayner spent the day wondering why he felt this way about Ollette. But on the bright side, Sora and Kairi were now officially the cutest couple in all of Twilight Town!

**so that's it for chapter eight. in the future look out for a valentines day special, a romeo and juliet spin off, tidus' evil twin brother, selphie's plan for seifer to ask out fuu in action, demyx becomes famous, a disastorous date, and heartbreak. i hope you enjoy the story and leave a review!**


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